Added funding allows Nebraska to expand system of weather stations

A statewide system of weather stations is expanding thanks to new funding.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln said Tuesday that it was able to add 21 new stations to the Nebraska Mesonet system this year thanks to $1.48 million in funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency and Lower Loup and Upper Elkhorn Natural Resources Districts.

That brings the total number of stations statewide to 94, said Ruben Behnke, manager of the Nebraska Mesonet, and he would like to increase that to 200 in the next few years.

"To properly cover the state, you need a relatively dense network," he said in a news release. "Otherwise, you're providing data that's not appropriate to people who are trying to put water on their crops. Even more financially important is applying for financial disaster relief through the Farm Service Agency for drought, flood, hail or other disasters."

The Army Corps of Engineers has offered another $900,000 in funding for 2026, and Behnke said he is searching for additional funds for upgrades and expansions.

The funding is a big boost to the system that just three years ago was shrinking due to lack of funding.

Nebraska Mesonet got its start in 1981 with five stations and eventually grew to 81, but that number dropped as low as 55 in 2022 as funding sources dried up.

The Corps of Engineers is providing the funding to expand Mesonet systems in five states that border the Missouri River. Its goal is to add 35 stations in Nebraska, many of which are being added in the north-central part of the state, which is one area that lacks coverage.

Farmers are the main users of the data the system provides, but it’s also used by both state and federal government agencies, including the Corps of Engineers, Farm Service Agency, USDA, Nebraska Forest Service, Nebraska Natural Resources Districts and Nebraska Emergency Management Agency.

John Erixson, Nebraska state forester, said the Nebraska Forest Service relies heavily on Mesonet data in protecting and restoring the state’s forests and rangelands.

"During an active wildfire, real-time weather data is essential for firefighter safety and for making tactical decisions," he said in the news release. "Rapid changes in wind speed or direction can dramatically alter fire behavior, potentially endangering crews and communities. By monitoring Mesonet stations near active fires, incident commanders can better anticipate these shifts, improving the chances of containing fires quickly and safely."

Mesonet stations include a ten-meter tower that measures wind, temperature and humidity and an underground component that measures soil moisture and temperature at depths down to one meter. The data can be used to help farmers make informed watering decisions and apply for disaster aid if measurements are extreme.

Behnke said it costs around $55,000 to install a new station, less than what some farmers could make through aid payouts.

“I've had producers tell me that one of these stations can be worth $100,000 and that's one producer,” he said in an interview. “So, the return on investment when you consider agricultural uses can be very high.”

Behnke said he has a goal of at least one Mesonet station within 12 miles of every Nebraskan.