Oklahoma Mesonet to be featured at March 21 event in Oklahoma City

Friday, March 14, 2014

The many benefits provided by the Oklahoma Mesonet system will be showcased March 21 as part of the ongoing “Surviving the Elements: Land and Water Issues of the West” series at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.

Ron Elliott of Oklahoma State University’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources will provide insights about the state-of-the-art network for weather and soil monitoring, which is a joint effort by OSU and the University of Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Mesonet is a world-class network of 120 environmental monitoring stations situated across the state, with at least one station in every county, renowned for its accuracy and timeliness. Mesonet data is used by a wide variety of individuals and groups, from weather professionals and state agency officials and specialists to agricultural producers, fire department personnel and pesticide applicators, among others.

“A wide range of measurements about atmospheric and soil conditions are packaged into observations every five minutes,” Elliott said. “The data is then sent to the Oklahoma Climatological Survey for verification. It only takes around 10 minutes from the time the measurements are acquired until they become available to the public.”

Hosted by the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum and made possible through a grant by the Coca-Cola Foundation, the “Surviving the Elements: Land and Water Issues of the West” series takes place 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Friday throughout March.

Admission is $10 and includes lunch. Participants may register online through the museum’s “Surviving the Elements” website at http://www.survivingtheelements.org or by calling 405-478-220, Extension 280. The museum is located at 1700 NE 63rd St. in Oklahoma City, just off Interstate 44.

Elliott will kick off the March 21 session, which focuses on future demands and solutions, with an emphasis on science, environmental stewardship, conservation and best management and production practices. The museum has issued a special invitation to 4-H and FFA members and students in high school and college.

In addition to the Mesonet presentation, other March 21 sessions featured will focus on America’s water crisis and the maintenance and restoration of rangeland environments. Visit the museum’s “Surviving the Elements” website for available live streaming opportunities or additional information.