FLOOD07038

• County: Statewide
• Community: All
• Stream Name: All
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: ASFPM Abstracts, etc. 1994
• Date: 1/1/1994
• Prepared For: ASFPM
• Prepared By: ASFPM
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

THE OKLAHOMA MESONETWORK: VISION TO REALITY

k
,-
to,-
"
~
~

by
Dr. Ken Crawford
Oklahoma Climatological Survey
The University of Oklahoma

With a shared vision for delivering current weather information to Oklahomans, the University of
Oklahoma (OU) and Oklahoma State University (OSU) are now operating a dense, statewide
environmental-monitoring network (termed "Mesonet"). The need for a statewide monitoring
network was recognized 1 0 years ago in different ways by scientists at both OU and OSU -- who
joined forced in 1987 when they realized that one system would help both universities achieve
their respective missions.

Many years of work and planning went into the Mesonet to yield a world-class observing system.
Key ingredients included use of an excellent public-safety communiications network, a strong
group of research and applied scientists, widespread community support, the availability of
sufficient funding and proven, off-the-shelf sensor technology.

,~'

This network consists of 108 automated observing stations (and 1400+ sensors) that continuously
monitor a number of important weather and soil parameters. These remote stations are
distributed across the state, with at least one site located in each of Oklahoma's 77 counties.
Average station spacing is 35 km. Every 15 minutes, data observed at 5-minute intervals are
relayed from each of the remote stations to a central processing site. This transfer of data is
accomplished rapidly and reliably, using a combination of radio telemetry and the capabilities of
the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (OLETS), an agency of the
Oklahoma Department of Public Safety. Furthermore, the Mesonet has been augmented with a
dense (5 km grid) micronet of 45 weather stations -- similar in design to Mesonet stations --
within the Little Washita Watershed (southwest of Oklahoma City).

?,

,
r
~

An efficient mechanism exists to share data within minutes of each observation with federal, state,
and local governments (including public and private schools) and private agencies whose fortunes
are dependent on the weather. It is this latter goal -- making network information available to
grass-roots levels across Oklahoma and doing so within minutes of each observation -- that
separates the unique Oklahoma initiative from several other well-designed statewide networks.

Because interest in weather data across Oklahoma is almost universal, the list of potential
applications using Mesonet data is long and continues to grow. The presentation will detail the
purpose, evolution, sensor technology and operation of the Oklahoma Mesonet. It will also
define Mesonet's role in watershed management.

Dr. Ken Crawford, Associate Professor of Meteorology, Director, Oklaltoma Climatological Survey,
Uuiversity of Oklahoma, 100 E. Boyd, Suite 1210, Norman, Oklahoma 73019-0628; Tel. [phone]