Сеть метеостанций Кентукки расширяется: запланировано открытие двух новых пунктов наблюдения до конца года

Kentucky Mesonet working to expand What This Story Is About - How the Kentucky Mesonet gathers data, what goes into establishing a Mesonet site, and the establishment of new Mesonet sites over the last year. Why It Matters - The Kentucky Mesonet provides detailed metrological information for forecasters and weather models. What Happens Next - The Mesonet is planning to establish two new sites before the end of the year. For Context - A Mesonet in Green County was recently decommissioned after a change in ownership. BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - Headquartered at Western Kentucky University, the Kentucky Mesonet is a cornerstone of Kentucky’s meteorological community. The Mesonet began in 2007, when the first station was established on WKU’s farm. From there, it has grown into one of the largest state mesonet programs in the United States. “These are not your backyard rain gauges,” explained Shane Holinde, the outreach manager for the Kentucky Mesonet. “These are professional-grade rain gauges and temperature sensors, humidity sensors, barometric pressure sensors, wind monitors. All the things that go into weather measurement to make it as accurate as possible.” Every five minutes, crews at the Mesonet provide detailed data to local, state, and national forecasters, including the National Weather Service (NWS). Quality assurance Computer models are a key tool in a meteorologist’s tool box when forecasting. And quality data going into a model, provides more accurate model responses. “There’s a saying: when you put good in, you get good out,” Holinde said. “So that’s why we stress quality assurance with all of the data that we receive here, making sure that it is looking as it should before we push it out to the public.” That rigorous quality check directly impacts the safety of Kentuckians. “The more accurate the model data is, the more accurate forecasts are from the NWS, from TV media, and other forecasters,” Holinde added. To maintain these strict quality standards, the Mesonet enforces rigid requirements for its station sites. Stations must be located on flat terrain and sensors must be placed at least 100 feet away from any buildings or tall vegetation, such as trees or overgrown grass. According to Holinde, keeping sites completely unobstructed ensures that wind and humidity sensors can capture highly precise measurements without any interference. Expansion The Mesonet is constantly working towards its goal of having a station in all 120 on Kentucky’s counties. Four new stations have been established since last August, and two more are currently in development. “One will be in Eastern Kentucky, and then we are working on a site build in the not-too-distant future in North-Central Kentucky, not too far away from the Louisville or Frankfort area,” Holinde said. On Tuesday, the Green County Mesonet station had to be decommissioned due to a change in land ownership. However, Mesonet officials are already in the process of establishing a replacement station in the county. As of now there are 87 active Mesonet sites in 80 counties. Copyright 2026 WBKO. All rights reserved.