Mesonet

What Is the Nebraska Mesonet?

The Nebraska Mesonet is a collection of 63 high quality, standardized weather and soil observation stations located throughout Nebraska. The term “mesonet” is derived from the field of meteorology, where “mesoscale” atmospheric features occur on scales of 10 – 100 km (6 – 60 miles). These include thunderstorms, lake breezes, topographical influences on weather, and similar atmospheric phenomena. In Nebraska, thunderstorms are the most common example. A mesonet is designed to capture these weather phenomena, ideally leading to a dense station network covering the entire state.

Our History

Before the term "mesonet" was even conceived, Nebraska began its own network of weather stations in 1981. These five sites were focused on agricultural weather and research applications. As the value of this data to producers grew, and the importance of weather data for applications in other agencies and organizations expanded, the NE Mesonet consistently grew. Currently, the NE Mesonet consists of 63 stations, with a total of 73 expected by Fall 2024. Through funding from the United States Army Corps of Engineers, we will add another 10 stations in both 2025 and 2026. These sites will be located in the Upper Missouri River Basin, generally north of the Niobrara River. Additional funding and stations are also on the way for the rest of the state, so stay tuned for more updates!

Observed Weather and Soil Variables

The NE Mesonet serves as an environmental monitoring network, including the following observations with their height and observation frequency.

AIR TEMPERATURE

10 m
2 m
1 minute

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

10 m
2 m
1 minute

WIND SPEED & DIRECTION

10 m
3 m

Includes: Wind Gust
Direction of Gust
Standard Deviation of Wind Speed
1 minute

SOLAR RADIATION

2 m
1 minute

PRECIPITATION: SURFACE

1 minute

New stations are receiving weighing precipitation guages (measures liquid and liquid water evivalent precipitation)

Tipping bucket guages used for rest of network

STATION PRESSURE

2 m
1 minute

SNOW DEPTH/SNOW FALL: SURFACE

1 minute

SOIL MOISTURE & SOIL TEMPERATURE

1 hour legacy
5 minutes new

Soil Moisture = Volumetric
Water Content (m/m or fraction)
- New stations are receiving
2", 4", 20", 30", 40" sensors
- Legacy soil observations: Include 2", 4", 10", 20", 40" depths

BARE SOIL TEMPERATURE

4"
5 minutes

CAMERA(S)

4 m

Ranges from 1 minute to hourly

Calculated Weather and Soil Variables

Evapotranspiration

Reference, short and tall grass, hourly and daily

- Walter, et al. (2005). The ASCE Standardized Reference Evapotranspiration Equation. Evironmental and Water Resources Institute of the American Societyof Civil Engineers. Final Report.

Wind Chill

(National Weather Service Formula)

Heat Index

(1990 National Weather Service Technical Attachment SR 90-23)

Wet Bulb Globe Temperature

Delta T

Frost Depth

Inversion

Vapor Pressure/VPD

Total Soil Water Content to 48"

Growing Degree Days

Heating/Cooling Degree Days

Stress Degree Days

Sea Level Pressure

Support

The network is supported by the State of Nebraska in collaboration with the Department of Natural Resources and the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. Many agencies and individuals contribute to the network operations through service agreements for specific stations.

About Us