Weather data from Eastern Kentucky University’s Meadowbrook Farm soon will be available live on the Internet.
Temperature, humidity and solar radiation, as well as wind speed and direction readings from instruments being installed at the farm will be updated on kymesonet.org every five minutes.
Graphs will display data for the previous 24 hours, according to Dr. Stuart Foster, who directs the state climate center at Western Kentucky University.
Concrete foundations for the weather station were poured last week, and a 10-meter tower was erected Tuesday.
Instruments on the tower will record air temperature, wind speed and direction and humidity.
An adjacent precipitation gauge will collect and weigh rain water and melted snow. A nearby set of two 130-watt solar panels not only will measure sunlight, its photovolatic cells will generate electricity to operate the station, said Steve Struebig, meterorolgy/electronics technician with the climate center who supervised the installation.
In the future, soil moisture monitors may be installed at the station, he said.
The solar-generated electricity will be stored in two 12-volt batteries.
“The batteries will enable this station to operate for up to 10 days without sunlight,” Struebig said.
The station should be uploading data to the Internet in about two weeks, he said.
It will be part of the network operated by the Kentucky Climate Center that eventually will collect data from 100 sites around the state. Already there are 28 stations are in place, including one in Jackson County. The next nearest stations to Madison County are on the Fayette-Jessamine county line and the Garrard-Lincoln county line.
About 50 stations may be in place by the end of the year, Struebig said.
“This (Madison County) site will provide valuable data to assist National Weather Service meteorologists in producing forecasts and severe weather warnings, and will also provide benefits to a wide range of interests in the local area,” Foster said.
Data from the stations will be immediately useful to emergency, agriculture, utility, construction and recreation managers as well as weather forecasters, Foster said.
The information also will help climatologists track long-term weather trends, he said.
Foster said initial funding for the Kentucky Mesonet was secured by U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-KY, through a $2.9 million federal appropriation.
Bill Robinson can be reached brobinson@richmondregister.com or at 624-6622.
EKU News
Related Photos
-
Jason Givens, a field technician with the Kentucky Climate Center, installs an aspirated shield Tuesday on the 10-meter weather station tower at Eastern Kentucky University’s Meadowbrook Farm. The aspirated shield uses three probes to measure air temperature.
Clear forecast
Weather network station erected at university farm
- EKU News
-
-
EKU professor authors ‘Great Civil War Stories of Kentucky’
A century and a half after the first shots of the Civil War were fired, Dr. Marshall Myers, professor of English at Eastern Kentucky University, reminds readers of the harsh realities of war, and how it affected soldiers and civilians alike in his new book, “Great Civil War Stories of Kentucky.”
-
Presidential debate delegation visits EKU
A three-member delegation of the Commission on Presidential Debates visited Eastern Kentucky University on Thursday.
EKU, which submitted a bid earlier this year to host a debate, is one of 12 colleges and universities nationwide competing to host four debates in 2012 — three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate. It is expected that the site selections will be announced this fall. -
EKU co-op program first in state to earn accreditation
Eastern Kentucky University’s Cooperative Education Program has become the first co-op program in the Commonwealth and only the 12th nationally to receive accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Cooperative Education.
-
A chance for grads and bands to reunite
Eastern Kentucky University alumni and friends are invited to visit the campus April 29 through May 1 when EKU hosts its annual Alumni Weekend, highlighted this year by performances from former members of bands that played at Speck’s, the legendary nightspot previously in downtown Richmond.
Friday, April 29 will offer an evening of live music from the Speck’s bands, including former members of “The Maroons” and “The Exiles,” from 7 to 10 p.m. in the Perkins Building.The cost of $22 includes beverages, appetizers, the live music and dancing. -
EKU tuition, meals on the rise, again
Eastern Kentucky Univer-sity expects the state’s Council on Post-secondary Education to allow regional universities to raise in-state tuition by 5 percent for the coming academic year, according to EKU President Doug Whitlock.
On Monday, the EKU regents voted to take the maximum the council will allow and delegated its academic affairs committee to impose the increase after the council’s Thursday meeting. -
Spring fling
Morgan Jolly, Miss Kentucky Teen 2011, and an Eastern Kentucky University freshman education major from Versailles, prepares to pop bubbles Monday with Sanjay Blevins, a special education student at Model Laboratory School. Jolly and about 19 others who reside in EKU’s education majors’ Living and Learning Community and 14 Model special-ed students enjoyed an hour of fun at the college students’ invitation. Such events outside of their school setting helps special-needs children developmentally, said Jolly, who planned the event with roommate Amanda Hubler.
-
California Schemin’
Amanda West, from left, Micah Daniel Bennett, Alyssa Will, Marshall Manley and Whitlie Rose rehearse a scene from Eastern Kentucky University Theatre’s production of “California Schemin’” Performances continue tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Gifford Theatre of the Jane F. Campbell Building. To reserve or purchase tickets, students and senior citizens are $5 and adults are $6, call the box office at 622-1323.
-
EKU to host Science, engineering fair
Eastern Kentucky University will host the 9th annual Kentucky Science and Engineering Fair on Saturday at Alumni Coliseum. This is the state fair in which middle school and high school students from throughout the Commonwealth will be participating.
The event will feature the research of more than 215 students who have advanced through local and regional competitions across the state. They will be competing for ribbons, trophies, scholarships and special awards from corporations and various organizations.
The high school students who are selected as the Best of Fair will be a member of Team Kentucky that will represent the state at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles in May.
The public can view the student’s work from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday inside Alumni Coliseum on EKU’s campus. The awards ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. in Brock Auditorium in the Coates Building. -
‘Brain Rules’ author to speak at EKU
John Medina, author of the New York Times bestseller “Brain Rules,” will present a public lecture Tuesday, March 29 at Eastern Kentucky University.
His talk, “Brain Rules for Teaching,” will begin at 6 p.m. in Walnut Hall of the Keen Johnson Building. There will be a question-and-answer period following the session. -
Environmental ‘Hero’ to speak at EKU
Graciela Chichilnisky, recognized by Time Magazine in 2009 as one of the “Heroes of the Environment,” will speak at Eastern Kentucky University Thursday, March 31.
Her presentation titled “Avoiding Extinction” will begin at 7:30 p.m. in O’Donnell Hall of the Student Success Building. It is part of the University’s year-long Chautauqua lecture series and serves as the sixth-annual Distinguished Lecture in International Studies and keynote address for Women’s History Month. The event is free and open to the public. - More EKU News Headlines
-
EKU professor authors ‘Great Civil War Stories of Kentucky’
Robin Gibb of Bee Gees Dies at 62
Protesters, Police Clash at NATO Summit
Raw Video: NATO Protesters Face-off With Police
Libyan Convicted in Lockerbie Bombing Is Dead
NATO Chief: 'No Rush for Exits' in Afghanistan.
Obama Pushes for Post-2014 Vision for Afghanista
Raw Video: Demonstrations Ahead of NATO Summit
Raw Video: Powerful Quake in Northern Italy
G-8 Seeks Unity on Euro-debt Crisis, Iran
Mary Kennedy Mourned at Private Funeral in NY
Prosecutors: Trio Planned to Attack Obama's HQ
Blind Chinese Activist Arrives in NY
G-8 Leaders Hope Greece Remains in Eurozone
SpaceX President: 'This Is Not Failure'
Blind Chinese Activist Leaves for US
Raw Video: Obama Greets Leaders at Camp David
Big Job: G-8 Tackles Euro Crisis
Raw Video: SpaceX Rocket Launch Aborted in Fla.
Video Surfaces of Alleged Abuse at Kansas School
Verizon to End Unlimited Data Plans
