2012-06 Mesonet connection 1 |
Previous | 1 of 6 | Next |
|
small (250x250 max)
medium (500x500 max)
Large
Extra Large
large ( > 500x500)
Full Resolution
All (PDF)
|
This page
All
|
connec t ion Volume 3 — Issue 6— June 2012 www.mesonet.org The Oklahoma Mesonet went live to the public in 1994, but before that happened, a lot of groundwork had to be laid. In fact, Mesonet staff began installing stations in June 1992. This year marks a big occasion for the Mesonet – 20 years of partnership with our landowners – and we are celebrating by recognizing them each month. I am sure this has you wondering though, “how exactly did the Mesonet begin?” The idea of the Mesonet sprang up during the 1980s. In 1984, Tulsa was hit by the Memorial Day Flood. Back then, Ken Crawford, the Meteorologist-in-Charge of the Norman NWS Forecast Office, had access to radar data indicating heavy rainfall upstream but minimal ground truth observations from rain gauges. From the worst flood in Tulsa history, Crawford saw the need for a comprehensive statewide network collecting real-time data that would help protect all Oklahomans from surprise weather events. Around the same time, Ron Elliott at Oklahoma State University was heading an effort to install weather stations at Agricultural Experiment Stations. When Elliott and Crawford learned of each others’ initiatives, they joined together to create the Mesonet proposal and seek state government support. With Governor Henry Bellmon’s help, being a farmer interested in the concept, they were able to find funding. “The obvious first choices to place Mesonet towers were the OSU Ag Experiment Stations, plus a site at OU,” said Mark Shafer, Director of Climate Services at the Oklahoma Climatological Survey. “For these sites, a land-use agreement was negotiated with the universities that gave permission to locate on those sites. J.D. Carlson (Mesonet’s OK-FIRE Program Manager) and I worked with the respective ag experiment station superintendents to find a suitable piece of property on each site that met the Mesonet site guidelines as closely as possible.” –by Stephanie Bowen When Mesonet funding arrived in 1991, Shafer was a service climatologist and began work on the Mesonet. His first project was site selection. He also wrote the initial Quality Assurance code and provided software support. Shafer and Carlson worked together to find landowners willing to host a Mesonet site on their property. “We worked through local contacts in Extension, NRCS and Emergency Management to help us find local landowners,” Shafer said. “We initially targeted public lands because we did not anticipate many private landowners would be willing to let us use their land without compensation. However, this is Oklahoma, and Oklahomans love the weather. It turned out that there were a lot of people eager to let us set up in their pastures, which provided excellent siting, and gave them something to brag about with their neighbors.” Shafer and Carlson met with each of the prospective landowners to select a site. Shafer took western Oklahoma, and Carlson took eastern Oklahoma. “We would meet with the landowner and when we found a site acceptable to them and suitable for our criteria, we pounded in a wooden stake painted bright orange at the top so the technicians would know where to install it,” Shafer said. “We did not have vehicles with the Mesonet logo at the time so I drove one with an OU logo on it, and J.D. drove one with OSU. I remember when I went to visit Mr. Keith Ladd at Camargo, he was coming in from the field driving a forklift with a hay bale spike on it. He said he saw the OU car parked by the house and thought maybe he should just keep going. But even with the rivalry, it was no problem working with all these great people.” 20 years in the Making: A History Lesson Thank you for 20 years of partnership! Perkins Agricultural Experiment Station - Installed June 4, 1992 Stillwater Agricultural Experiment Station - Installed June 4, 1992
Object Description
Okla State Agency |
Climatological Survey, Oklahoma |
Okla Agency Code | 'CLI' |
Title | Mesonet connection, 06/2012, v.3 no.6 |
Authors |
Oklahoma Climatological Survey. |
Publication Date | 2012-06 |
Publication type |
Newsletter |
Purpose | 20 years in the Making: a History Lesson by Stephanie Bowen; Mesonet in Pictures 2002 Mesonet Website; A Partnership Benefitting Oklahoma Agriculture by Stephanie Bowen; May Ends Warmestd Spring in Oklahoma History by Gary McManus |
For all issues click |
C2800.6 M582c |
Digital Format | PDF, Adobe Reader required |
ODL electronic copy | Downloaded from agency website: http://www.mesonet.org/mesonet_connection/v3i6.pdf |
Rights and Permissions | This Oklahoma state government publication is provided for educational purposes under U.S. copyright law. Other usage requires permission of copyright holders. |
Language | English |
Month/year uploaded | June 2012 |
Date created | 2014-10-08 |
Date modified | 2014-10-08 |
OCLC number | 890219143 |
Description
Title | 2012-06 Mesonet connection 1 |
Full text | connec t ion Volume 3 — Issue 6— June 2012 www.mesonet.org The Oklahoma Mesonet went live to the public in 1994, but before that happened, a lot of groundwork had to be laid. In fact, Mesonet staff began installing stations in June 1992. This year marks a big occasion for the Mesonet – 20 years of partnership with our landowners – and we are celebrating by recognizing them each month. I am sure this has you wondering though, “how exactly did the Mesonet begin?” The idea of the Mesonet sprang up during the 1980s. In 1984, Tulsa was hit by the Memorial Day Flood. Back then, Ken Crawford, the Meteorologist-in-Charge of the Norman NWS Forecast Office, had access to radar data indicating heavy rainfall upstream but minimal ground truth observations from rain gauges. From the worst flood in Tulsa history, Crawford saw the need for a comprehensive statewide network collecting real-time data that would help protect all Oklahomans from surprise weather events. Around the same time, Ron Elliott at Oklahoma State University was heading an effort to install weather stations at Agricultural Experiment Stations. When Elliott and Crawford learned of each others’ initiatives, they joined together to create the Mesonet proposal and seek state government support. With Governor Henry Bellmon’s help, being a farmer interested in the concept, they were able to find funding. “The obvious first choices to place Mesonet towers were the OSU Ag Experiment Stations, plus a site at OU,” said Mark Shafer, Director of Climate Services at the Oklahoma Climatological Survey. “For these sites, a land-use agreement was negotiated with the universities that gave permission to locate on those sites. J.D. Carlson (Mesonet’s OK-FIRE Program Manager) and I worked with the respective ag experiment station superintendents to find a suitable piece of property on each site that met the Mesonet site guidelines as closely as possible.” –by Stephanie Bowen When Mesonet funding arrived in 1991, Shafer was a service climatologist and began work on the Mesonet. His first project was site selection. He also wrote the initial Quality Assurance code and provided software support. Shafer and Carlson worked together to find landowners willing to host a Mesonet site on their property. “We worked through local contacts in Extension, NRCS and Emergency Management to help us find local landowners,” Shafer said. “We initially targeted public lands because we did not anticipate many private landowners would be willing to let us use their land without compensation. However, this is Oklahoma, and Oklahomans love the weather. It turned out that there were a lot of people eager to let us set up in their pastures, which provided excellent siting, and gave them something to brag about with their neighbors.” Shafer and Carlson met with each of the prospective landowners to select a site. Shafer took western Oklahoma, and Carlson took eastern Oklahoma. “We would meet with the landowner and when we found a site acceptable to them and suitable for our criteria, we pounded in a wooden stake painted bright orange at the top so the technicians would know where to install it,” Shafer said. “We did not have vehicles with the Mesonet logo at the time so I drove one with an OU logo on it, and J.D. drove one with OSU. I remember when I went to visit Mr. Keith Ladd at Camargo, he was coming in from the field driving a forklift with a hay bale spike on it. He said he saw the OU car parked by the house and thought maybe he should just keep going. But even with the rivalry, it was no problem working with all these great people.” 20 years in the Making: A History Lesson Thank you for 20 years of partnership! Perkins Agricultural Experiment Station - Installed June 4, 1992 Stillwater Agricultural Experiment Station - Installed June 4, 1992 |
Date created | 2012-06-22 |
Date modified | 2012-06-22 |