A Guide to the Lowell L. Koontz papers, 1951-2014
A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Accession Number 51326
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia800 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219-8000
USA
Phone: (804) 692-3888 (Archives Reference)
Fax: (804) 692-3556 (Archives Reference)
Email: archdesk@lva.virginia.gov(Archives)
URL: http://www.lva.virginia.gov/
© 2014 By The Library of Virginia. All Rights Reserved.
Processed by: Jessica Tyree (light processing)
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
COLLECTION IS LOCATED AT THE STATE RECORDS CENTER. CONTACT ARCHIVES RESEARCH SERVICES FOR ACCESS INFORMATION, DIRECTIONS, AND HOURS.
Use Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Preferred Citation
Lowell L. Koontz Papers, 1951-2014. Accession 51326. Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Lowell L. Koontz, Glen Allen, 2 June 2014.
Biographical Information
Lowell L. Koontz , a native of Rockingham County, Virginia, taught science in the Fairfax (Va.) County Public Schools for 31 years, retiring from teaching in 1999. Koontz began keeping weather observations in 1956 as a school boy in Rockingham County. He built his first weather station with his father in 1958, and reported daily to WSVA Radio and to the Daily News-Record newspaper (both in the Harrisonburg area). After graduating from Virginia Tech with a Masters in Education, he took a job teaching Earth Science at Hayfield Secondary School in Fairfax County, and set up his second weather station there. A third station was established in the Bren Mar development of Fairfax County in 1979; it was moved to the Barcroft Hills area in 1986. This location was known as the Annandale station, and provided data for a weather information website started by Koontz in 1998. The site included weather observations, graphs, and weather news; severe weather warnings and discussion of forecasts for Northern Virginia; and local area records for temperature, rain, and snow. Koontz moved to Glen Allen, Virginia, in 2008 and established a new station there. He also started a new website (www.glenallenweather.com) which offered the same general types of information that the previous one had (but from the Glen Allen station), along with historical weather records gathered by Koontz for the Richmond area from various sources. As of June 2014, the station and the site are still in operation.
Scope and Content
Papers, 1951-2014, of Lowell L. Koontz , relating to his extensive collection of weather data, primarily in Rockingham County, Annandale, and Glen Allen, Virginia. Much of the material consists of information gathered from weather stations built by Koontz in these locations, and includes barograph charts, thermograph charts, hygrothermograph charts, wind charts, Nimbus records, digital photographs, and observations including temperature and precipitation totals. Also includes copies of historical Richmond-area weather records going back to 1819, obtained by Koontz from entities such as N.A.R.A., the U.S.D.A., the Smithsonian, and the U.S. Signal Service; and all files from Koontz's glenallenweather.com website through 20 May 2014.
Arrangement
This collection has been minimally processed, and for the most part remains in the order and housing in which it was received from the donor. The container listing is based on the one provided by the donor.
Contents List
Papers, 1951-2014, of Lowell L. Koontz , relating to his extensive collection of weather data, primarily in Rockingham County, Annandale, and Glen Allen, Virginia. Much of the material consists of information gathered from weather stations built by Koontz in these locations, and includes barograph charts, thermograph charts, hygrothermograph charts, wind charts, Nimbus records, digital photographs, and observations including temperature and precipitation totals. Also includes copies of historical Richmond-area weather records going back to 1819, obtained by Koontz from entities such as N.A.R.A., the U.S.D.A., the Smithsonian, and the U.S. Signal Service; and all files from Koontz's glenallenweather.com website through 20 May 2014. Personal recollections and an explanation of equipment and observation procedures, compiled by Lowell Koontz in 2014, are located in Box 24.
This collection has been minimally processed, and for the most part remains in the order and housing in which it was received from the donor. This container listing is based on the one provided by the donor.
- Box 1
1951-1979 .1. Virginia climate data, September 1957-August 19592. Complete Virginia climate data, 1965-19693. Barograph charts in a separate collection, 1959-19814. Metropolitan climatological summaries5. Newspapers clippings by year, 1956-October 19796. Washington Post maps, February 1975-December 19797. Published National Weather Service (NWS) records, 1969-1975Also includes Weatherwise publications, 1950, 1952, 1957-1962, 1964-1969 (intermittent); Climate summary for all Virginia weather stations, 1951-1960 ; and original Naked Creek weather records, July 1960-June 1964 .
- Box 2
1980-1981 .1. Original monthly records for Bren Mar Weather Station2. Washington Post maps, March 1980-December 19813. Barograph charts in a separate collection, 1959-1981 ; barometer charts, 1959-1981 taken at Naked Creek Station; two barographs taking observations, 1979-1981 .4. Hygrothermograph charts in a separate collection, 19805. Metro Climate Review, 1980-19816. Washington Post newspaper clippings, 1980-19817. National Weather Service (NWS) maps with wind tape attached and barograph and hygrothermograph charts from October 1981 to December 1981
- Box 3
1982-1983 .1. Original monthly records for Bren Mar Weather Station2. Virginia Climate Advisory3. Wind charts attached to Washington Post maps January 1982-December 19834. Barograph charts5. Thermograph charts start April 19826. Hygrothermograph charts7. Metro Climate Review8. Washington Post newspaper clippings9. Forecast Program10. Printed maps with map features drawn in11. Storm data publications January 1982-December 198312. Some Daily News Record maps13. Seasonal Virginia Climate Advisory
- Box 4
1984-1985 .1. Original monthly records for Bren Mar Weather Station2. Washington Post maps3. Wind charts attached to weather maps4. Barograph charts5. Thermograph charts6. Hygrothermograph charts7. Metro Climate Review8. Washington Post newspaper clippings9. Forecast Program10. Printed maps with map features drawn in11. Storm data publications ended in March 1985
- Box 5
1986-1988 .
Note: There are some gaps in coverage, caused by Koontz's move to Falls Church, Virginia.
1. Original monthly records2. Washington Post maps3. Wind chart4. Barograph chart5. Thermograph charts6. Hygrothermograph charts7. Metro Climate Review8. Washington Post newspaper clippings9. Forecast Program10. Virginia Climate Advisory11. Central Virginia Chapter of the American Meteorological Society - Box 6
1988-1989 .1. Original monthly reports2. Washington Post maps3. Wind chart4. Barograph charts5. Thermograph charts6. Hygrothermograph charts7. Metro Climate Review8. Washington Post newspaper clippings9. Forecast Program10. Printed maps with map features drawn in
- Box 7
1990-1991 .1. Original monthly records2. Washington Post maps3. Wind chart4. Barograph charts5. Thermograph charts6. Hygrothermograph charts7. Metro Climate Review8. Washington Post newspaper clippings9. Forecast Program10. Printed maps with map features drawn in11. Presto publication
- Box 8
1992-1993 .1. Original monthly records2. Washington Post maps3. Wind chart4. Barograph charts5. Thermograph charts6. Hygrothermograph charts7. Metro Climate Review8. Washington Post newspaper clippings9. Forecast Program10. National Weather Service (NWS) printed daily maps11. Printed maps with map features drawn in
- Box 9
1994-1995 .1. Original monthly records2. Washington Post maps3. Wind chart4. Barograph charts5. Thermograph charts6. Hygrothermograph charts7. Metro Climate Review8. Washington Post newspaper clippings9. Forecast Program10. National Weather Service (NWS) printed daily maps11. ACON publication (beginning January 1995)12. Printed maps with map features drawn in
- Box 10
1995-1996 .1. Original monthly records2. Washington Post maps3. Wind chart4. Barograph charts5. Thermograph charts6. Hygrothermograph charts7. Metro Climate Review8. Washington Post newspaper clippings9. Forecast Program10. National Weather Service (NWS) printed daily maps11. ACON publication12. Printed maps with map features drawn in13. Datalink publication (July-October 1995 only)
- Box 11
1997-1998 .1. Original monthly records2. Washington Post maps3. Wind chart4. Barograph charts5. Thermograph charts6. Hygrothermograph charts7. Metro Climate Review8. Presto publication (only January-July 1997)9. Washington Post newspaper clippings10. Forecast Program11. Hand-drawn maps12. ACON publication
- Box 12
1998-1999 .1. Original monthly records2. Washington Post maps3. Wind chart4. Barograph charts5. Thermograph charts6. Hygrothermograph charts7. Metro Climate Review8. Washington Post newspaper clippings9. Forecast Program10. National Weather Service (NWS) printed daily maps11. ACON publication
- Box 13
2000-2001 .1. Original monthly records2. Washington Post maps3. Wind chart4. Barograph charts5. Thermograph charts6. Hygrothermograph charts7. Metro Climate Review8. Washington Post newspaper clippings9. National Weather Service (NWS) printed daily maps
- Box 14
2002 .1. Original monthly records2. Washington Post maps3. Wind chart4. Barograph charts5. Thermograph charts6. Hygrothermograph charts7. Metro Climate Review8. Washington Post newspaper clippings9. National Weather Service (NWS) printed daily maps10. ACON publication
- Box 15
2004-2005 .1. Original monthly records2. Washington Post maps3. Wind charts4. Barograph charts5. Microbarograph charts, July 20046. Thermograph charts7. Hygrothermograph charts8. Metro Climate Review9. Washington Post newspaper clippings10. National Weather Service (NWS) printed daily maps
- Box 16
2006-2007 .1. Original monthly records2. Washington Post maps3. Wind chart4. Barograph charts5. Microbarograph charts6. Thermograph charts7. Metro Climate Review8. Washington Post newspaper clippings9. National Weather Service (NWS) printed daily maps10. ACON publication
- Box 17
January-May 2008 .
Note: Annandale records end on 31 May 2008 .
1. Original monthly records2. Washington Post maps3. Wind chart4. Barograph charts5. Microbarograph charsts6. Thermograph charts7. Metro Climate Review8. Washington Post newspaper clippings9. National Weather Service (NWS) printed daily maps10. ACON publication - Box 18
Additional records, 1959-1981 .Barograph charts, 1959-1981
- Box 19
Additional records, 1978-1999 .Binder -- Bren Mar weather records, 1979-1986Binder -- Bren Mar weather records, 1978-1985Binder -- Annandale weather records, 1986-1992Binder -- Annandale weather records, 1993-1999
- Box 20
Additional records, 1979-2008 .Binder -- Annandale weather records, 2000-2004Binder -- Annandale weather records, 2005-2008Binder -- Yearly summary book, 1979-2005Binder -- Extremes and averages, 1979-2003
- Box 21
Additional records, 1819-1897, 1997-1998 .Copies of miscellaneous historical weather records, 1819-1897 , from N.A.R.A. (Climatological Records of the Weather Bureau, RG-27), U.S.D.A., Smithsonian, U.S. Signal Service, etc.Binder -- Weather by the hour, 1997Binder -- Weather by the hour, 1998
- Box 22
Additional records, 1999-2008 .Binder -- Weather by the Hour, 1999Binder -- Nimbus weather records, 2001-2002Binder -- Nimbus weather records, 2001-2002Binder -- Nimbus weather records, 2003-2004Binder -- Nimbus weather records, 2005-2006Binder -- Nimbus weather records, 2007-2008
- Box 23
Additional records, undated .Early feature study
- Box 24
Additional records, 1956-2014 .Personal recollections and an explanation of equipment and observation procedures, compiled by Lowell Koontz in 2014Binder -- Naked Creek (Rockingham County, Va.) weather records, 1956-1979Binder -- Newspaper articles and Naked Creek (Rockingham County, Va.) weather records, 1977-2000CDs and DVD-Rs containing sky and ground camera images for Annandale, 2006-2008 , and Glen Allen, 2008-2013 , as well as movies and snow camera images for Glen AllenDVD-Rs containing files for glenallenweather.com website, through May 2014Photographs -- Naked Creek Weather Station; Annandale Weather Center; and images, 7 March 1962 , of a significant snowfall in Rockingham County, VirginiaYour Guide to the Constellations , a teacher's handbook written for Fairfax County Public Schools by Lowell L. Koontz, 1992