The Kentucky Mesonet: Entering a New Phase Stuart A. Foster State Climatologist Kentucky Climate Center Western Kentucky University KCJEA Winter Conference Lexington, Kentucky February 9, 2017
Kentucky s Weather and Climate Monitoring Infrastructure
Looking Back 1 2 Proof of Concept Developed, built and operated a statewide infrastructure for weather and climate monitoring Build support via a tiered funding model that will ensure sustainability and enable growth Provided services to advance the public good and well being of citizens Develop customized, value-added services to further enhance public safety and support economic development
1 Proof of Concept Building Partnerships Engage local officials and stakeholders through kickoff meetings organized through Area Development Districts Invite local experts to identify sites that would benefit their communities while satisfying Mesonet criteria
1 Proof of Concept Station Installation and Maintenance Install and test meteorological instrumentation before bringing station online Complete scheduled spring, summer, and winter site maintenance passes Respond to trouble tickets when QA processes require unscheduled site maintenance visits
1 Proof of Concept Atmospheric measurements are taken every 3 seconds and packaged as observations every 5 minutes. Sensor Package Air temperature Precipitation Solar radiation Relative humidity Wind speed & direction Soil moisture & temperature* * selected sites
1 Proof of Concept Accomplishments Installed, operate, and maintain a statewide network that now includes 68 stations in 66 counties Provide data to National Weather Service Forecast Offices, supporting operations during severe and winter weather situations www.kymesonet.org provides public access to current weather and historical climate summaries Other users include: Kentucky Drought Mitigation and Response Team USDA Farm Service Agency Public Health Departments County and state emergency management County and state transportation departments and many others at the local, state, and national levels
Entering a New Phase 1 2 Proof of Concept Developed, built and operated a statewide infrastructure for weather and climate monitoring Build support via a tiered funding model that will ensure sustainability and enable growth Provided services to advance the public good and well being of citizens Develop customized, value-added services to further enhance public safety and support economic development
2 Development Strategy State and Federal Funds & Administration Operations Products & Services Maintenance Local Sponsorship Funds
2 Kentucky Mesonet Stations Legend Mesonet station Mesonet station with soil probes Local initiative Local initiative in negotiation 0 25 50 100 Miles Source: Kentucky Climate Center Feb 9, 2017
2 Products and Services County Weather Portals Customized Forecasts, Outlooks, Assessments Kentucky Mesonet Website Social Media Apps for Mobile Devices
2 Drought Monitoring Soil Probe Installation
2 County Weather Portal
2 Weather Forecasts Customization 2 km resolution versus 12-25 km for national models Initialization enhanced by Mesonet observations Hourly forecasts up to 60 hours ahead Tied to mesonet sites Will include verification statistics Map of forecast 24-hr precipitation Point wind and temperature forecasts
2 Highlights Funding State funding to support core operations National Mesonet Program Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund Network Improvements Added three locally sponsored stations in past 15 months Installed soil probes at 13 additional sites through partnership with NRCS Current Projects Developing a customized agricultural webpage Developing customized weather forecast products Kentucky Mesonet Advisory Board Marketing campaign Sponsorship program
2 Highlights Funding State funding to support core operations National Mesonet Program Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund Questions? Network Improvements Added three locally sponsored stations in past 15 months Installed soil probes at 13 additional sites through partnership with NRCS Current Projects Developing a customized agricultural webpage Developing customized weather forecast products Kentucky Mesonet Advisory Board Marketing campaign Sponsorship program