WAYNE ROOP and the U.S. Dept, of Commerce instrument shelter. The Weathervxpan

by Shirliannf Gunther COLD SPRING — Gale force inds blew out a window as lightning blazed across the black sky. It was perfect weather, at least to weather king Wayne Roop. Roop. unpaid but very official weather observer for the National Weather Service has been Cape May County’s guardian of the elements since 1975. “If the weather is blowing, raining or snowing — well, that's weather," Roop says, adding that most meterologists and weather observers have little interest in those nice, calm, boring, sunny days. Neither rain, sleet, hail...nor lightning will deter Roop from his rounds. "But I'm certainlyjiot going out in a lightning storm and hold on to my tower," he joked

Roop looked at the tall wind tower adjacent to his home here on Soc’s Lane. Various other instruments, placed strategically in the side yard, looked like something out of a space movie. "THIS IS AN INSTRUMENT shelter, it belongs to the Department of Commerce," he explained, opening a strange looking contraption filled with graphs and other instruments. "That's a Fisher and Porter gauge — it automatically measures precipitation and this is a standard rain gauge," he added, pointing to a weird metal object. The U.S. National Weather Service sends an official, Vincent Nunziata, down to visit him once a month to go over charts and collect other data. "He’s been very

cooperative and helpful to me," Roop said. Climatological data comes out every month from the NO A A (National Oceanic Atmosphere Administration). Although Roop said anyone can understand the charts, to a layman they resemble a mass of hieroglyphics. Weather observers are also responsible for a mountain of paperwork and must send daily readings of the area’s weather to the National Climatic Center in Ashville, N.C.

“ALL WEATHER DATA from the U.S. and all its possessions is processed there,” he said. "Air Force data — all military weather information — it all ends up there.” Although weather is a prime interest to many Cape residents and the location of the county is ideal for weather observing, there has been little or no interest on the part of the government to set up a permanent meterological station here. "They really feel it’s unnecessary, because there’s one in Atlantic City, 40 miles away,” Roop said. "Today with satellites and radar I guess they feel there’s no real need." Roop said in the old days when they didn't even have radio stations to warn people of bad weather, the weather bureau went out personally to issue warnings. "THERE USED TO BE A U.S. Weather Bureau office in Cape May from 1894 to 1932. They had a regular meta^ologist in the old days. He died in ISMand his daughter took over. In 1932 tn^scloMd some stations and Cape May' vas one of them,” Roop said. ‘‘It remaine< closed for eight years, then the Navy todk weather data and eventually someone at the Magnesite plant at ^ape May Point did it. That was in the early ’40s." Prior to Roop taking over the station, it was managed by Jack Sayre. Sayre, an educator, had the instruments at the Lower Cape May Regional High School. The County Civil Defense Dept also got in the weather business and set up a station in Cape May Court House with meterologist Bill Gery in charge. Gery and Roop worked closely together for several years until Gery moved to another state and another position. The Civil Defense weather station was subsequently disbanded. THERE ARE «7 WEATHER stations in the state and 63 of them are similar to Roop's. In addition to private citizens, water companies, the N.J. Dept, of Correction at High Point, Glassboro college students and other interested businesses and institutions are involved. "They’re all volunteers,” Roop said. Although the Weather Bureau supplies some things, much of Roop's equipment was purchased by him. The complex digital weather computer which measures windspeed, direction of barometric pressure and other things, was put together from a Heath kit. The computer has become a vocal point for indoor weather watching, and Roop and his wife Sue have sort of a contest going to see who observes the highest wind. So far Sue is leading 70 to 66. "When it hit 70, it blew the window out," Sue said enthusiastically. That was in June 1980. IN ADDITION TO HIGH WINDS, there have been other noteworthy weather events. In 1971 a tornado was observed. "It charged through Cape May along the railroad, across Old Shore Road to south of the Old Brick Church. It died out in Belleplain," Roop recalled. Several years ago there was another tornado observed in the county on the Delaware Bay side. Roop said January 1977 was the coldest January

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