9. The Official Temperature is Taken Off the Tower of Belvedere Castle
Whenever you hear a weather report that includes the temperature in Central Park, that information is taken from the top of the tower of Belvedere Castle. The National Weather Service has taken measurements from this spot since 1919. At the tower, there are scientific instruments that measure wind speed and direction. Just south of the castle, there are more instruments used to collect other weather data such as rainfall. This data is recorded and then sent to the weather service’s forecast office at Brookhaven National Library on Long Island.
Belvedere Castle, which was not part of the original Greensward Plan, was built in 1869 out of Manhattan schist. It is located around 79th Street. The Castle has been closed for renovations since February 2018 but is set to re-open late this spring.
