Latest news with #Mesonet
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
New dashboard brings real-time weather information to the public
A new online—released Wednesday in beta test form—now gives the public access to a growing network of weather and climate monitoring stations across Hawaii, providing critical near-real-time data for everything from forecasting and farming to fire prevention and public safety. , led by University of Hawaii at Manoa climatologist Thomas Giambelluca, is a recently developed initiative to build a locally operated and scientifically rigorous monitoring network across the islands. Launched with a National Science Foundation grant in 2021, Mesonet has grown to 65 active stations with plans to install more than 100 in total and possibly as many as 110. Hawaii is one of only 20 states that has not had a statewide Mesonet until now. The system is designed to fill long-standing gaps in the state's climate data, especially in areas vulnerable to extreme weather, fire, flooding and water stress. 'We founded this to serve many purposes, ' Giambelluca said. 'To support weather forecasting, natural resource management, farming, ranching, emergency management and really, in general, to be able to deal with extreme weather, to be prepared for extreme weather.' Each Mesonet station collects 21 types of environmental data, including rainfall, wind, temperature, soil moisture and relative humidity. Sensors scan every second ; averages are logged every five minutes and transmitted to servers every 15 minutes. The new dashboard brings that high-frequency data directly to the public in near real time. 'Just being able to know what's going on in your neighborhood with really high-quality data, up to date, and measurements of not just the kind of routine variables of temperature and rainfall, but a really wide range of variables that tell you all about the conditions, ' Giambelluca said, 'we feel like this is really a big step up from what has been available.' The system also was developed with future resilience in mind, Giambelluca said, both against environmental risks and potential federal funding cuts. Though federal partners such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Mesonet Program currently cover roughly 40 % of annual operating costs, Giambelluca said he is seeking sustainable state support to cover the rest. The network requires about $600, 000 annually to maintain and operate. 'We're certainly not advocating for the cessation of weather monitoring by federal agencies, but we are seeing signs of that happening, ' he said. 'So it is really important … that we have our own network that is locally designed and locally operated … insulated from possible future federal cuts.' The stations are also highly durable, equipped with precision instruments designed to last with minimal recalibration. For example, rainfall is measured to a hundredth of an inch, soil moisture to within half a percent, and relative humidity within 1 %. Giambelluca said the system includes a rigorous maintenance program to ensure long-term reliability. Installing new stations is a careful, multifaceted process. The team analyzes existing coverage by other agencies, targets data-scarce areas and prioritizes fire-prone zones, high-rainfall watersheds and regions with rapid climate shifts over short distances. Sites must also have willing landowners—ideally, institutional partners—who can commit to long-term access, minimal interference from trees or buildings, and adequate cell coverage for data transmission. That kind of coverage could have made a difference during the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires. At the time of the disaster, there were no live, telemetered wind measurements available in all of West Maui. 'One of the things that we did in response to that was to install a station in Lahaina immediately, as soon as we could, ' Giambelluca said. 'We did that in September of 2023. … As you remember, wind was an important factor in starting the fire and spreading the fire that day. So having that information would have been valuable.' The new dashboard allows the public to access Mesonet data through an interactive, intuitive platform. Cherryle Hue, lead developer of the dashboard, said users can view live weather conditions by clicking on any of the active stations displayed on the site's map. 'What you're seeing here is the landing page to the Hawaii Mesonet live data access, ' Hue said. 'We have the 65 active stations as well as the planned-for installation stations listed here.' Clicking on a station, such as Haleakala's summit or Lahaina, brings users to a live dashboard showing temperature, rainfall, solar radiation and other variables graphed over the previous 24 hours. Measurements are updated approximately every 15 minutes. Users can also view data over the past three or seven days, switch between metric and imperial units, and compare conditions across stations to observe climate variability. For example, during a demonstration, Hue pointed out that the Haleakala station showed 48 degrees Fahrenheit, while Lahaina read 76 degrees at the same time. 'This dashboard is really the real-time information, ' Hue said. 'We envision users to be able to leave the site open and see current conditions as quickly as they possibly could.' In addition to real-time data, users can access historical information through an interactive graphing feature or request custom data reports by email. The system allows downloads of up to 90 days of historical data with graphing capabilities to compare up to three variables across custom time ranges. The development team currently includes about 10 people, ranging from field crews who install and maintain the stations to data managers, developers and back-end IT staff. Giambelluca emphasized the growing network already is playing a crucial role in public safety. 'From the beginning we recognized that it would have little value if we were not able to get the data to the people who need it, and get it to them on time, ' he said. 'And that's why we're so excited to be able to launch this new resource. We think it's an excellent tool to make the data available to all those who need it.' As Hawaii faces increasing risks from extreme weather, drought and wildfire, Giambelluca believes Hawaii Mesonet can provide communities, agencies and emergency responders with the accurate and timely local information they need to make decisions that save lives. For information Visit the at.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Logan Co. Emergency Management monitoring flood situation amid rainy month
LOGAN COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR)— Record rainfall left several areas flooded in recent days amid the wettest April in Oklahoma history. One of the hardest-hit areas that tends to flood often is Logan County, and emergency management there said they have plenty of work to do when the water recedes. 'That's just life in Logan County,' a rural Logan County resident said. Heavy rain and flooding is no foreign site to residents like Lindley. He's lived in his home in rural Logan Co. since 1998. This go-round, he said he has to wait to get home because part of the road is washed out and he can't make it through. 'In this car, I'm certainly not going to try that,' he said. Evacuations underway in Lexington due to flooding Despite that, the spot near Broadway and Seward at Cottonwood Creek, a notoriously flood-prone area, isn't the worst he's seen it of course. 'I have seen it right here, where all with this pasture of hay out here was underwater,' Lindley said, pointing to a field. It's been quite the busy past few days in that area during an incredibly rainy month. 'When it happens, it's usually all hands on deck, our county commissioners get involved,' Deputy Emergency Management Director Shawn Pierce said. One person dead, deputy injured after Pottawatomie County water rescue On Thursday, Guthrie Public Schools posted on their Facebook page that due to current flooding conditions and the cresting of Cottonwood Creek, they had to cancel school. Pierce said the creek crested at around 12:45 a.m. Thursday at about 29.5 feet. Flood stage there is considered to be 30 feet. By 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Pierce said it started going down. 'We were sitting at about 26 and a half feet,' Pierce said. It's something they've become accustomed to, according to Pierce. With more rain expected Thursday night and into Friday morning, they do plan to monitor it with U.S. Geological Survey and Mesonet sites in the area. Lindley wasn't really concerned. He said he would just head into town and wait it out. 'Get dinner, check on the place, walk in tomorrow if we don't get too much rain tonight,' Lindley said. About 22 Logan Co. roads were closed as of Thursday morning. KFOR was told the Flood Warning was canceled in Logan County, but they are still in a Flood Advisory. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Payne County now under enhanced flood risk
The National Weather Service in Norman has moved Payne County into an area of moderate heavy rain/flood potential. Stillwater is currently in a Flood Watch from now until 1 a.m. Thursday. Rain is not expected to clear until Friday evening. 'Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations,' according to the NWS advisory bulletin. 'Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. Low-water crossings may be flooded. Area creeks and streams are running high and could flood with more heavy rain.' Gov. Kevin Stitt declared a state of emergency for areas of southwestern Oklahoma that have experienced flooding in the past several days. Some areas like Lawton have had more than 11 inches of rain since April, according to Oklahoma Mesonet. According to Mesonet, 10-day rainfall accumulations have ranged between 4-5 inches across Payne County. Mesonet has predicted at least another 2 inches for Stillwater through Thursday. Stillwater has a 100% chance of rain Wednesday morning and an 80% chance of rain Wednesday evening, according to the latest NWS forecast.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
‘Our risk is high,' fire experts warn as summer approaches
HONOLULU (KHON2) — As the wet season comes to an end, most of the state is already in some sort of drought. Fire officials are encouraging residents to take action now to protect your home from wildfires. Pest removal turns into house fire on Big Island The National Weather Service said it expects drought conditions to persist and possibly intensify through the dry season. 'It means our risk is high,' said Elizabeth Pickett, co-executive director at Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization. 'And it means we get started as soon as possible to take action.' The month of May is Wildfire Awareness Month, and Pickett along with the Honolulu Fire Department said now is the time to create a five-foot buffer around your home. 'Wildfires have become more frequent and intense,' said HFD Battalion Chief Pao-Chi Hwang. 'Our homes, our families and our way of life are at risk.' BC Hwang said simple chores at home can make a big difference, like mowing the lawn to four inches or less, removing dry leaves and debris from gutters and from around the house and lanai. Scientists fear impact of National Weather Service cuts 'Trim back trees so they don't touch or overhang on our roofs. These small actions can create a defensible space and protect homes and families,' BC Hwang added. 'Clear it, sweep it, rake it, remove anything that can catch fire,' Pickett added. 'Leaves, lumber, any debris because what you do in that zone could be the difference between whether or not a home survives.' Emergency officials recommend having a to-go bag ready at all times as well as an evacuation plan with friends, family and neighbors. Last month, scientists at the University of Hawaii launched a new wildfire map to show fire danger and ignition risks. 'Fire risk is essentially a result of the weather conditions, current and recent, and vegetation conditions,' explained Tom Giambelluca, a retired UH professor and leader of the Hawaiʻi Mesonet. Mesonet are weather stations that are positioned across the state. To date, there are 65 in place and the goal is to have 110 set up. Mesonet measures all fire-related risks like the air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and rainfall totals then summarizes the daily risk. One part of the map shows fire ignition probability. 'This tells you how prone an area is to a fire, it doesn't tell you a fire is going to happen,' Giambelluca added. He said most fires are human-caused so it is hard to predict when one will hopes in the future they will be able to provide data on which direction a fire will move so it can help first responders. 'It's science, best practice and replicable, whether it's a cracked tile on a roof or window or open vent, embers when we have these big fires and wind, embers get into the house we call that intrusion and it ignites carpets, couches and everything from inside out.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
How much rain did Iowa City get on Easter? See the highest Iowa rainfall totals
April is ending with showers in hopes of bringing May flowers, as much of Iowa received rainfall over Easter weekend. Iowa City received 1.61 inches of rain on Easter Sunday, while some areas of the state received more than 2 inches. Tornado warnings were issued around the Quad Cities, as storms pushed out of the state in the evening on April 20. Reports of heavy rain northeast of the rural Johnson County town of Oakdale reported 1.85 inches of rain. Flash flood warnings were also issued for northwestern Johnson County late Sunday night. No official reports of flooding have been confirmed in Johnson County. Cedar Rapids, according to the National Weather Service out of the Quad Cities, set a single rainfall record, tallying 2.34 inches of rain on Sunday. The city's previous record was 1.75 inches in a day in 1973. Here are the cities in Iowa with the most rainfall from 8 a.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Monday, April 21, according to the Iowa State University Mesonet. Fairfield: 2.18 inches Oelwein: 1.97 inches Des Moines: 0.97 inches More: UI Health Care, Mission Cancer pursue 10-year lease in Des Moines to expand cancer care There is a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday, April 22, with a predicted high temperature of 74 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. It will be a rainy week with more chances for showers and thunderstorms each day through Friday. Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at kkealey@ or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17. This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: How much rain did Iowa CIty get on Easter? See the highest totals
