In late August, the weather data on the Southern Research and Outreach Center (SROC) website modernized thanks to a new weather station provided by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). The SROC joined several other ROCs in partnering with the MDA to join and collect data for the Minnesota Ag Weather Network (MAWN). This project upgrades the ROCs’ current weather stations with technology that is standardized across the MDA’s network and provides current weather updates every 15 minutes.
The SROC has recorded and maintained weather data for over a century, providing local farmers and residents with accurate and reliable weather information based on the historical weather in the area. These longterm records are also invaluable to climate scientists studying Minnesota’s changing climate. Recently, SROC staff were thanked for their contributions to the National Weather Service by the Minnesota State Climatology Office as the reported data from this June proved invaluable to understanding the scope of flooding that the region experienced.
“The SROC has monitored and reported the weather in our area since we were established in 1913. This advanced technology expands upon our regular data collection and adds more accessibility and utility to our local community and industry partners,” said Jason Stenzel, SROC Director of Operations.
Weather data is available at sroc.cfans.umn.edu/weather and includes the current air temperature, relative humidity, wind direction and speed, current rainfall total, and more. The SROC’s weekly crop and weather update will continue.
ROCs in the Network
So far, the Northwest ROC in Crookston, the Southern ROC in Waseca, and the Southwest ROC in Lamberton have been added to the MAWN initiative. Discussions are underway to add the West Central ROC in Morris and the North Central ROC in Grand Rapids as well. The Sand Plain Research Farm (SPRF) near Becker, previously part of North Dakota’s NDAWN weather network (on which MAWN is based), has also been integrated into the MAWN system.
Stefan Bischof, one of MDA’s leads on the MAWN project, said that partnering with the ROCs is a win-win scenario. “We are both working towards providing tools for farmers to help guide management decisions. A partnership with the ROCs is also a great outreach opportunity to showcase what information is available across the state.”
Ways to Get Involved
In addition to accessing MAWN weather data on the ROC websites, there are more ways the public can engage with MAWN and utilize the weather stations across the state:
- The MDA is soliciting applications from those within agricultural areas to be a weather station site location. Given Minnesota’s variable climate, the MDA has set a goal of the MAWN initiative to provide accurate weather information within 20 miles of agricultural production.
- There is a free app for the weather network in which the user can set a favorite weather station and check real-time weather data updated every 5 minutes. The app can also send you alerts when there is an inversion in your area, which is valuable information for farmers spraying their fields. The app is called “NDAWN Inversion”.