Mesonet
Years of operation Name of Network , Place Spacing No . of Stations ( Year ) Objectives
1939-41 Lindenberger Böennetz [ de ] , Lindenberg [ de ] , Tauche , Germany 3-20 km ( 1.9-12.4 mi ) 19-25 research on convective hazard , squall lines and wind gusts , to aviation
1940 Maebashi , Japan 8-13 km ( 5.0-8.1 mi ) 20 research on convective hazard to aviation , examined structure of thunderstorms
1941 Muskingum basin 10 km ( 6.2 mi ) 131 rainfall and runoff research
1946 The Thunderstorm Project , Florida 1 mi ( 1.6 km ) 50 thunderstorm convection research
1947 The Thunderstorm Project , Ohio 2 mi ( 3.2 km ) 58 thunderstorm convection research
1960 New Jersey 10 km ( 6.2 mi ) 23 research on mesoscale pressure systems
1960 Fort Huachuca , Arizona 20 km ( 12 mi ) 28 Army operations ( military meteorology ) research
1961 Fort Huachuca , Arizona 3 km ( 1.9 mi ) 17 research on influence of orography
1961-Present Dugway Proving Ground , Utah 9 mi ( 14 km ) 26 air quality modeling and other desert area research
1961 Flagstaff 8 km ( 5.0 mi ) 43 cumulonimbus convection research
1961 National Severe Storms Project ( NSSP ) 20 km ( 12 mi ) 36 research on structure of severe storms
1962 National Severe Storms Project ( NSSP ) 60 km ( 37 mi ) 210 research on squall lines and pressure jumps
1972-Present Enviro-Weather , Michigan ( now also adjacent sections of Wisconsin ) Varies 81 agriculturally centered ; archive , varies from 5-60 min observations
1981-Present Nebraska Mesonet , Nebraska Varies 69 ( 2018 ) originally agriculturally centered now multipurpose ; archive , near real-time observations
1983-Present South Dakota Mesonet , South Dakota Varies 27 archive , real-time 5 min observations
1986-Present Kansas Mesonet , Kansas Varies 72 archive , real-time observations
1986-Present Arizona Meteorological Network ( AZMET ) , Arizona Varies 27 agriculturally centered ; archive , real-time observations , 15 min - 1 hr
1988-Present Washington AgWeatherNet , Washington Varies 177 agriculturally centered ; archive , real-time observations , 15 min
1989-Present Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center ( OARDC ) Weather System , Ohio Varies 17 agriculturally centered ; archive , hourly observations
1990-Present North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network ( NDAWN ) , North Dakota ( also adjacent areas of NW- Minnesota and NE- Montana ) Varies 91 agriculturally centered ; archive , real-time observations
Examples
In meteorology (and climatology), a mesonet, portmanteau of mesoscale network, is a network of (typically) automated weather and environmental monitoring stations designed to observe mesoscale meteorological phenomena. Dry lines, squall lines, and sea breezes are examples of phenomena that can be observed by mesonets. Due to the space and time scales associated with mesoscale phenomena, weather stations comprising a mesonet will be spaced closer together and report more frequently than synoptic scale observing networks, such as ASOS. The term mesonet refers to the collective group of these weather stations, and are typically owned and operated by a common entity. Mesonets usually record in situ surface weather observations but some involve other observation platforms, particularly vertical profiles of the planetary boundary layer (PBL). The distinguishing features that classify a network of weather stations as a mesonet are station density and temporal resolution. Depending upon the phenomena meant to be observed, mesonet stations utilize a spatial spacing of and report conditions every 1 to 15 minutes. Micronets (see microscale and storm scale), such as in metropolitan areas such as Oklahoma City, St. Louis, and Birmingham UK, may be even denser in spatial resolution.