Farmers Gain Local Weather Insights with Wisconet

By Blake Jackson

Wisconsin farmers now benefit from Wisconet, a statewide network of advanced weather stations that helps improve farm management through real time environmental data. This modern tool supports growers as they work to understand conditions above and below the soil, helping them make decisions that reduce costs and improve yields.

Farmers like David Bartling, who grows cranberries in northern Wisconsin, appreciate the detailed information Wisconet provides. With weather conditions changing quickly during the growing season, having constant updates on temperature, soil moisture, humidity, rainfall, and wind gives producers a major advantage. Many small farms cannot afford the expensive equipment needed to collect such data, making Wisconet a valuable resource for the entire community.

Wisconet stations are placed in a wide variety of locations, including forests, farms, and built up areas around the state. Each station collects research grade data every few minutes. Farmers use this information to monitor nearby conditions and see what weather may soon arrive from surrounding areas.

Growers like apple producer Bill Roethle use Wisconet to make faster and more accurate decisions. Instead of relying on distant weather services, he now checks information from a nearby station on his phone. This allows him to plan spraying, irrigation, and harvest work more safely and efficiently.

Since 2023, the Wisconet network has grown from 14 to nearly 80 stations. The data supports agriculture, emergency management, and scientific research. It is also shared with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to help with national forecasting and drought monitoring.

The network goes beyond standard weather systems by including sensors that measure soil moisture at different depths, which is especially important for crop health. With support from the Wisconsin Rural Partnerships Institute, Wisconet developers can also turn weather trends into crop specific alerts. These alerts warn farmers when disease or pest risks increase, giving them time to act before damage occurs.

By providing accurate, local, and timely weather information, Wisconet gives Wisconsin farmers a powerful tool to improve productivity, protect crops, and make smarter decisions throughout the growing season.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-tlillico