July 23, 2026

 

A major upgrade is now complete across the Air Resources Lab’s (ARL) U.S. Climate Reference Network (USCRN), replacing older transmitters and ensuring data is available across the nation. This project required replacing transmitters at 139 towers across 45 states, most located in highly remote areas of the contiguous U.S., Hawaii and Alaska. With the new technology in place, observations will continue transmitting uninterrupted and technicians can maintain the network more efficiently.

ARL manages and operates the USCRN– a sustained network of meteorological stations designed to provide researchers with long-term, reference-grade meteorological data. Since the towers are located in remote areas, a long-range communication system is necessary to transmit data to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) which is where the data is stored. Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) transmitters link each station with the NCEI through the GOES satellite. ARL has used GOES transmitters since the first towers were constructed in the early 2000s. 

The transmitters needed to be replaced as a result of a 2009 NOAA directive, which mandated all transmitters accessing the GOES satellite be upgraded to Certification Standard 2 by May 31, 2026. Many of the old transmitters have been in the field for 20 years, so an upgrade was overdue.

This multi-year project began in 2017, but progress was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It gradually started back up until it accelerated quickly last year. In January 2025 there were still 94 old transmitters in the field. Over the last year and a half, a crew of five technicians and engineers traveled the country to complete the replacements. After a marathon effort the final transmitter was installed in Newton, Mississippi on April 25, 2026. 

The new transmitter gives technicians a more reliable and efficient way to maintain the network. Unlike the previous model, the new transmitters do not require manual programming, reducing the likelihood for human error during installation. The new transmitter also provides more diagnostic information to the data recorder, making it easier for technicians to troubleshoot transmission errors remotely.

Alaska’s USCRN network

The network provides critical measurements that not only support scientific research, but can also provide weather information after a natural disaster. For example, after Alaska’s west coast was hit hard by Typhoon Halong in October 2025, many local weather stations were damaged leaving communities with limited weather forecasts. ARL’s 25 towers in Alaska supplemented weather data during repairs, ensuring locals still had access to accurate weather information.

Accessing USCRN towers in Alaska is always particularly challenging. The remote locations and rough, winter weather result in a narrow window to get in for maintenance. Many towers have no road access, only being accessible by boat, bush plane, snow mobile or skis. Despite these challenges the new transmitters were successfully installed last fall.