Pacific Northwest Garden Forum: WSU's AgWeatherNet

Message

   For Washington State folks:

WSU has been adding Ag Weather stations in Western Washington.  You can view their selection map to see if there is a new one near you like my new East Olympia site at:

"AgWeatherNet"

It a simple process (& free) to become a member (or view) as a guest.  They have demo videos, etc. to teach what is available from the sites.

I would like to see the early and late potato blight calcs on this side of the mountains for our tomatoes.

If you like what is available, do drop a note to your legislators to thank them for funding the increases in the sites and encourage more expansion of the network.

Author	Message
gary Rainy Side Gardener Joined: Jul-26-2003 Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor Posts: 1025	Topic: WSU's AgWeatherNet Posted: Jun-20-2010 at 3:28am
	For Washington State folks: WSU has been adding Ag Weather stations in Western Washington. You can view their selection map to see if there is a new one near you like my new East Olympia site at: "AgWeatherNet" It a simple process (& free) to become a member (or view) as a guest. They have demo videos, etc. to teach what is available from the sites. I would like to see the early and late potato blight calcs on this side of the mountains for our tomatoes. If you like what is available, do drop a note to your legislators to thank them for funding the increases in the sites and encourage more expansion of the network.
	Gary Olympia Sunset Zone 5, USDA Zone 8

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silver_ creek Rainy Side Gardener Joined: Jan-08-2006 Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills Posts: 666	Posted: Jun-20-2010 at 6:55am
	This is a useful site, but I more commonly use OSU Degree Day Calculator. But unfortunately, they do not include a calculator for late blight. It is invaluable though, for timing codling moth and apple maggot spray.
	Terry M. Silver Creek Garden Zone 8a, Sunset Zone 4
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DebbieTT Admin Group Sunset zone 5, USDA zone 8 Joined: Jan-25-2003 Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula Posts: 4306	Posted: Jun-20-2010 at 12:15pm
	Bummer, there's not even one in my county.
	When the going gets tough, the tough need a hug.
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gary Rainy Side Gardener Joined: Jul-26-2003 Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor Posts: 1025	Posted: Jun-21-2010 at 3:29am
	Write your legislator's Debbie! A legislative request lead to the East Olympia site. I don't remember how close you are to the water but how about the Whidbey Island site? "Close" does count as far as the ET and soil temp data. Since the East Olympia site came online in early February, its accumulated Evapotranspiration (ET) is 5% less than WSU Puyallup for grass. That is on about 10" total ET for the 4+ months. The AgriMet site at OSU N. Willamette station in Aurora, OR has a little above 10% higher ET than East Olympia. While we are on the subject of the Legislature, remember that the funding for our county extension offices comes from both local county government and WSU. Some of our farmer insensitive Westside legislators need to be reminded those monies don't just go to wheat farmers. An example that comes to mind, is the struggle the Mt. Vernon fruit tree fruit research center goes through each tight state budget cycle.
	Gary Olympia Sunset Zone 5, USDA Zone 8
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gary Rainy Side Gardener Joined: Jul-26-2003 Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor Posts: 1025	Posted: Jun-21-2010 at 5:30am
	Terry, When you use the OSU site, do you pick a nearby site for the weather data? I know that I was able to access Oly AP plus a couple of local Citizen Weather Observer Program (CWOP) stations that report data to NWS. CWOP is a newer version of the old time ham radio operator weather reports. One can look at sites by state that report to the NWS from the Pacific Northwest by scrolling through the lists below the map at: "Surface Observation Map"
	Gary Olympia Sunset Zone 5, USDA Zone 8
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silver_ creek Rainy Side Gardener Joined: Jan-08-2006 Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills Posts: 666	Posted: Jun-21-2010 at 7:05am
	I personally use the Bellingham International Airport; less than a mile away from me. For work, I also track weather stations for orchard management for clients from the Canadian border down to Hillsboro. I have set up a "my pest page" model- OSU Model Page. I can run the pest and disease models for every weather station by mousing over a weather station on the Google map and clicking on the model.
	Terry M. Silver Creek Garden Zone 8a, Sunset Zone 4
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DebbieTT Admin Group Sunset zone 5, USDA zone 8 Joined: Jan-25-2003 Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula Posts: 4306	Posted: Jun-21-2010 at 3:43pm
	I am very close to the water, within easy walking distance. It is surprising how different the weather is for me than up on top of the hill heading to Poulsbo. Thanks for the info.
	When the going gets tough, the tough need a hug.
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