Automated Weather Data Network for Agriculture

TLDR

The system couples standard weather sensors to an on‑site microprocessor, which is queried by a central minicomputer that quality‑checks data and forwards it to a mainframe, where the AGNET management tool offers programs for irrigation scheduling, energy estimation, crop development prediction, and livestock weight forecasting. Nebraska now operates 17 stations, a number that is rapidly expanding because the system’s low cost, simple deployment, and minimal maintenance make it attractive, driving growing interest in near‑real‑time weather data for agriculture.

Abstract

A system has been developed in Nebraska to automatically collect hourly weather data from remote agricultural weather stations. Standard weather sensors are coupled to an on‐site microprocessor. A central minicomputer regularly interrogates the microprocessor, quality‐checks the incoming weather data and transfers it to a larger mainframe computer. Weather‐data‐based programs are available to users of the mainframe computer through the AGNET system (a management tool for agriculture). Programs are currently available for such applications as irrigation scheduling, estimating energy requirements for grain drying, predicting stage and rate of crop development and predicting livestock weight gains. Nebraska now has 17 stations and the number is increasing rapidly since initial costs are low, site requirements are simple, and maintenance is minimal. As a result, interest is increasing in the use of near‐real time weather data.