Benefits

Mesonet Benefits

When properly used, Mesonet data have the capacity to help save lives, save Oklahoma businesses and taxpayers millions of dollars annually, reduce energy consumption, educate the next generation of citizens and make an incalculable contribution to research projects every year. The most notable professions that the Mesonet influences are weather forecasting, agriculture, education, emergency management, wildland fire management, energy industry, transportation and scientific research.

Weather Forecasting

The National Weather Service operates 15 Automated Surface Observing System weather stations in Oklahoma. These stations usually report atmospheric measurements once every hour. However, much of Oklahoma's most destructive or least predictable weather occurs on a scale small enough to be missed by these federal stations. The Mesonet provides weather forecasters with more frequent and more localized information. Better forecasts of excessive rainfall and real-time measurement of soil moisture conditions will help to improve the lead time on flood warnings issued by the National Weather Service. These forecasts could allow for the pre-release of water from storage reservoirs before water levels rise too high.

"Mesonet is without a doubt among the most important data sets we use at the NWSFO [National Weather Service Forecast Office]! In addition to routine forecast and warning operations, the Mesonet is a major part of many of our applied research projects. It is also invaluable for handling various disaster support situations including wildfires, chemical spills, and catastrophies like the Oklahoma City Murrah Building bombing. The Mesonet provides a unique tool to view weather on the mesoscale and is an excellent compliment to the WSR-88D radars and GOES satellites. We depend on it."

David Andra Science Operations Officer National Weather Service Forecast Office Norman, Oklahoma