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The Kentucky Mesonet: Program/Budget Overview

Learn about the Kentucky Mesonet program enhancing public safety, economic development, and education through state-of-the-art weather monitoring infrastructure. The program leverages state investments and local partnerships to provide accurate and reliable weather data to benefit communities across Kentucky. Discover the innovative instrumentation and data access available, as well as opportunities for public-private partnerships and research collaborations. Join us in strengthening Kentucky's resilience to weather events and fostering a knowledge economy.

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The Kentucky Mesonet: Program/Budget Overview

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  1. The Kentucky Mesonet: Program/Budget Overview Stuart A. Foster, Ph. D. Kentucky Climate Center Western Kentucky University Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue Interim Budget Review Subcommittee on Education Legislative Research Commission Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, Kentucky October 25, 2018

  2. Kentucky’s WeatherMonitoring Infrastructure Enhancing Quality of Life • Public Safety • National Weather Service Partnership • Economic Development • Education and Outreach

  3. Kentucky Mesonet Infrastructure across the Commonwealth Graves County, KY Morgan County, KY Carroll County, KY Pike County, KY

  4. Vertical Integration of the Kentucky Mesonet

  5. Station Instrumentation • Standard Instrumentation Suite • Air temperature • Precipitation • Leaf Wetness • Solar radiation • Relative humidity • Wind speed & direction • Base Infrastructure • Datalogger controls station operations • Cellular modem enables 2-way communication via AT&T • Batteries are trickle-charged via solar or AC power • Enhanced Instrumentation Suite • Soil moisture & temperature • Barometer • Camera • Multi-level temperature

  6. Public Data Access www.kymesonet.org

  7. Building to Serve the Commonwealth

  8. Tiered Funding ModelLeveraging State Investment

  9. Local Partnerships • Standard Station Installation Agreement • Estimated station cost: $25,000 • Local sponsor’s portion: First $15,000 • Mesonet match: Remaining $10,000 • Sponsorship Agreement • Annual contribution up to $5,000, but currently $3,000 • Supports cost of maintaining station • Priority site for instrumentation enhancements • Site License Agreement

  10. Local initiative Current negotiation Agility & Resilience

  11. Kentucky Mesonet Outreach Applications

  12. Temperature Inversion Monitoring SystemExperimental Project Supported by USDA Midwest Climate Hub • Helps to determine when weather conditions are right for field spraying operations. • Produces economic and environmental benefits. • Creates opportunities for public-private partnerships.

  13. The Kentucky Drought Early Warning System

  14. Takeaways • A world-class infrastructure benefitting rural and urban communities across Kentucky • Enhancing public safety in partnership with the National Weather Service • Strengthening economic competitiveness and development of weather-sensitive industries • Leveraging state funding through local partnerships and federal grants • An opportunity to grow Kentucky’s knowledge economy through R&D partnerships

  15. www.kymesonet.org | kymesonet@wku.edu | (270) 745-4567 website e-mail phone

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