The North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network, known as NDAWN, is celebrating 25 years of providing weather data to enhance crop management in North Dakota.
In 1989, North Dakotans suffered through the worst drought since the 1930s. Precipitation and other weather information was in high demand; however, getting weather data quickly was limited to the hourly reports from the Fargo, Grand Forks, Devils Lake, Jamestown, Bismarck, Minot, Williston and Dickinson airports. Dozens of cooperative observers sent in reports on a monthly basis, but real-time data was difficult to obtain.
"It was with this great need for timely and reliable weather data that John Enz, who was the state climatologist for North Dakota at the time, set up six automated weather stations," said Daryl Ritchison, North Dakota's assistant state climatologist. "These stations provided timely weather data to enhance crop management in North Dakota. The network gradually grew as the benefits of these weather stations spread through the agricultural community."
The network provides weather data that is used in developing various agricultural models such as late blight, degree-day and growth stage for barley, corn, canola, potatoes, sugar beets, sunflowers, wheat and other small grains. NDAWN users also can monitor irrigation scheduling, crop water use and conditions for sugar beet root maggot and other insect development.
"Research continues to improve the agricultural weather applications and the development of additional tools that will enhance the usefulness of the network," Ritchison said. "It is estimated that NDAWN provides savings in the millions of dollars to agricultural producers in North Dakota each year."
Although originally designed specifically for agriculture, the network has proven useful in other areas as well. In a state with extreme weather conditions, access to detailed local weather data can be a valuable resource for everyone.
From the six original weather stations, the network has grown to 75 stations, with additional stations scheduled to be added before the end of the year. Data provided by the network can be seen at www.ndsu.edu/ndawn.
NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.