The objective of this work was to compare the air temperature data (average and extreme) obtained by a Conventional Meteorological Station and an Automatic Meteorological Station and evaluate different methods of estimating the average air temperature. The Meteorological Stations were located at the Agroclimatological Station of Pelotas, Capão do Leão (31º52' S, 52º21' W and 13,2 m), Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The data series were collected simultaneously in Conventional Meteorological Station and Automatic Meteorological Station during the period from 12/22/2005 to 12/21/2006. There is high equivalence in the measures of extreme temperature and average air temperature obtained from the Conventional and Automatic Meteorological Station, independently of the methods used for the calculation of average air temperature. The termo-hygrograph measures with high precision the extreme air temperature. There are small differences in the times of occurrence of the minimum and maximum temperatures between Conventional and Automatic Meteorological Stations. The data analysis indicated that the substitution of the Conventional Meteorological Station by Automatic Meteorological Station in Southern of Rio Grande do Sul does not changes significantly the air temperature data series.
temperature sensors; average air temperature; extreme temperature; termo-hygrograph
