Wisconsin weather has become more unpredictable, posing challenges for farmers, researchers, and the public. This is why the state is expanding its network of weather and soil stations, known as a mesonet.
“Mesonets can guide everyday decision-making for the protection of crops, property, and people’s lives while also supporting research, extension, and education,” says UW-Madison Prof. Chris Kucharik.
Kucharik is leading the major project to expand Wisconsin’s mesonet network, called Wisonet. The mesonet started with about a dozen stations two years ago. Today, the team has installed 58. The goal is to reach 80 stations by the end of the year.
The investment is significant, with each station costing about $11,000. Support comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, and it’s already paying off.
Kucharik says the National Weather Service used the stations for tornado warnings last February. This Christmas, soil temperature data helped predict where rain would freeze in areas of the state during peak holiday travel.
Wisconet collects data every five minutes on several weather metrics and soil moisture and temperature. For agriculture specifically, the data has been used to develop insect pressure models for commodity growers. The stations are located on farms, public lands, and campus agricultural research stations.
Kucharik says 38 other states also operate a mesonet, allowing Wisconsin to glean information about finding the support to maintain the weather and soil monitoring stations into the future.
Check it out: https://wisconet.wisc.edu/
Leave a Reply