US 2D Compact on Mont Ventoux

In the documentary “Mighty Winds – Mistral, the Wind of the Master,” ARTE explores the origins and impressive power of the Mistral—one of Europe’s best-known and strongest winds.
Rising 2,000 meters above the Rhône Valley, Mont Ventoux presents several unique meteorological features. The air masses that flow through the valley, rise up the mountainside, and cool are subject to characteristic differences in temperature, pressure, and altitude, which form the basis for the Mistral. At the summit, strong turbulence, extreme gusts, precipitation, icing, and clear weather conditions alternate—a location where many meteorological extremes can occur.

To reliably monitor these conditions around the clock, Météo-France operates a weather station at the summit. In the documentation, the US 2D Compact from Thies CLIMA can be seen as the station’s wind sensor.

This measurement task places the highest demands on wind measurement technology. The US 2D Compact was developed for professional meteorological applications and offers exactly the features required by weather services and operators of sophisticated measurement networks:

• ‎Rated up to 75 m/­s
• Measurement capability up to 95 m/­s
• Resolution across the entire measurement range <0.1 m/­s
• Maximum wind direction resolution of 0.1°
• Very high measurement rate of up to 100 measurements per second
• Unrestricted measurement capability in solid and liquid precipitation
• Automatic heating mode for unrestricted 24/­7 operation under icing conditions

Its wide measurement range captures both the slightest air movements and extreme wind speeds. Thanks to its measurement capabilities, the sensor delivers high-resolution measurement data even during rapidly changing gusts and turbulent flows.