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8 CapitalPress.com August 24, 2018 Remote weather stations prove their value to farmers By DAVE LEDER For the Capital Press Photos by David Leder/For the Capital Press Nic Loyd, a meteorologist and associate researcher with AgWeatherNet, uses the data collected by 176 weather stations around Washington state to provide detailed reports on the website, weather.wsu.edu. Standard weather vari- ables monitored by the net- work include air temperature, relative humidity, dew point temperature, soil temperature at 8 inches, rainfall, wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation and leaf wetness. Some stations also mea- sure atmospheric pressure — variables that are recorded every five seconds and sum- marized every 15 minutes by a solar-powered data logger. “There are lots of ways to look at the data, so we just try to provide the highlights,” Loyd said. “It’s more of a synopsis.” Farmers in Central Wash- ington may look to AgWeath- erNet for current wind con- ditions so they know if it’s a good time to spray their crops. Or, they may be look- ing for advice about when to start frost protection in the spring or when to prepare for an extreme heat event in the summer. Website users can sort the data however they choose and then access reports that contain specific information that may affect their opera- tion. The AgWeatherNet re- searchers understand how much people depend on their work, so they inspect each station at least twice a year to ensure all of the systems are running properly. “Our users rely on us to A detailed view of the sensors atop the AgWeatherNet weather stations. The sensors track data related to wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, relative humidity, soil temperature and more. provide them with accurate information throughout the year, so we always want to make sure we’re being as thorough as possible,” Loyd said. “Our main focus is on helping the commercial ag- riculture industry, but we’re here for everyone.” Begun in 1988, Ag- WeatherNet is linked to the research, extension and in- struction efforts conducted by the research and extension centers in the WSU College of Agriculture, Human and Nat- ural Resource Sciences. The department works closely with growers around the state and is always trying to help them better understand the information being com- municated. As a way of staying con- nected to the people they serve, Loyd and other mem- bers of the research team at- tend up to 20 grower events every year. Loyd talks about AgWeatherNet’s website, weather.wsu.edu, which presents detailed weather data from 176 remote tracking stations. Each of the AgWeatherNet stations features a variety of sensors and monitors that col- lect weather-related information and transmit it to researchers through a solar-powered data logger. “We try to be ser- vice-based,” Loyd said. “We want to educate people, so we cater our discussions to what the group wants. Sometimes it’s just an overview or a sea- sonal outlook. But we can also get more scientific, depending on the audience.” The AgWeatherNet service is intended for everyone, but technological advances have made the network even more valuable in the agricultural community in recent years. Loyd said the team is al- ways looking to improve the quality of its service by creat- ing new website models and considering more targeted approaches to weather data analysis. The network is now able to help farmers address disease and pest issues, as well as oth- er environmental concerns. “We want to stay on the cutting edge so we can pro- vide the best forecasts, but the main goal is to make sure everything is working as well as possible,” Loyd said. “That’s why we go out into the field so much. The whole team feels like we’re here to make people’s jobs easier. We just try to learn as much as we can and pass that on to our users.” SuTech18-2/108 Farmers all over Washing- ton state have come to depend daily on AgWeatherNet, an extensive weather-tracking network that collects a range of atmospheric data from re- mote monitoring stations and relays the information to the public over the internet. The 30-year-old network, based on the Washington State University Extension campus in Prosser, provides access to current and historical weather data at wsu.weather.edu, as well as a range of models and scientific analyses that help farmers manage their crops. Researchers around the U.S. and the world also ac- cess the data, which is collect- ed by 176 automated stations around the state. The informa- tion from the sensors and data loggers is transmitted back to the AgWeatherNet team using a standard cellphone network. Meteorologist Nic Loyd and his team then analyze the data and generate reports in a variety of formats. “We can present the data using maps, graphs, tables or whatever people need,” said Loyd, an associate researcher who works with 10 others at the WSU Irrigated Agricul- ture Research and Extension Center. “The network is de- signed to help people make the best decisions about crop management. We’re basically here to assist.” In addition to providing weather data on the website every day, the AgWeatherNet team prepares a weekly email newsletter for its 11,000 members, summarizing data from the previous week and informing users of what they can expect in the week ahead. 2017 TRX420TM1 RANCHER • BIG RACKS • 5-SPD MANUAL SHIFT • FUEL INJECTION • LIQUID COOLED • 12 MONTH WARRANTY SALE PRICE MSRP $5,349 Serving Farms & Ranches for 54 Years - 1964-2018 YOUR AUTHORIZED FULL SERVICE DEALER TONS OF ACCESSORIES • EASY FINANCING • FULL SERVICE DEALERSHIP • COMPLETE LINE OF HONDA ATVS 2140 N. 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