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FAQ

What is a “mesonet”?
A mesonet is a network of automated weather stations that provides high definition weather coverage: areas of just a few hundred square miles and time intervals of several times per hour. This can be contrasted with the typical coverage that is thousands of square miles and hourly. Mesonets excel in providing high precision data particularly with highly variable elements like wind and precipitation.
How can my business or organization sponsor a Mesonet station?
Sponsors play an important role in keeping the Mesonet running. Coops, businesses, water authorities, even private individuals sponsor stations to get data for agricultural spraying, watershed management and as a community outreach opportunity. Contact Us about sponsoring a new or existing station in your area.
How should rainfall be interpreted?
Mesonet stations use gauges intended to measure rainfall. In the event of snow, hail or other frozen/freezing precipitation, underreporting and delayed reporting can occur. If the current day’s low temperature is below freezing a warning will appear next to the reported rainfall to warn of this possibility.
What is frost depth?
Frost depth is the deepest occurrence of 32° F in the soil profile. Most Mesonet stations report calculated frost depth from the temperature readings of five sensors at depths of 2, 4, 8, 20 and 40 inches under sod. Note that 4 inch bare soil temperature is not used in the determination of frost depth.
How is pressure is reported?
Mesonet pressure is altimeter (pressure adjusted for elevation). The trend (falling, steady or rising) is three hour.
What is “Feels Like” temperature?
This value combines heat index (temperatures 80° F and higher and relative humidities 40% or higher), wind chill (temperatures 50° F and lower and wind speeds over 3 mph), and temperature (for all other cases).