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NOAA grid data for farm decisions

December19, 2019Glen Koehler

University of Maine Cooperative ExtensionPest Management Office

AgEye Weather

Old New view

New generation satellites started in 20185X faster, 4X resolution, 3X channels

Precipitation Type & Rate (x time = accumulation)

Polarized Radar2010 – 2013 upgrade

Wikpedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_radar#Polarization

NOAA

FarmsUMaine

Ag Weather

AgEye Weather

Dr. Sean BirkelMaine State Climatologist

130 miles 78 miles

40 years of Resolution Evolution

38 miles 10 miles

Resolution Evolution

7 miles

1.9 miles

NDFD National Digital Forecast Database

1.6 miles

NDFD advantages

High spatial resolution

Updated hourly

National Blend of Models

Human forecaster input

AgEye Email Report Deliveries

Soil moisture =

GAINS minus LOSSES

Allen, R. G., Pereira, L. S., Raes, D., and Smith, M.(1998). “Crop evapo-transpiration: Guidelines for computing crop requirements.”Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 56, FAO, Rome, Italy.

Global Forecast System has hourly

* Evapotranspiration* Soil moisture percentage

Allen, R. G., Pereira, L. S., Raes, D., and Smith, M. 1998. “Crop evapo-transpiration: Guidelines for computing crop requirements.”Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 56, FAO, Rome, Italy.

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Image from Robinson, T.L., A.N. Lakso, J. Lordan, P. Francescatto, D. Dragoni, A.T. DeGaetano, K. Eggleston. 2017. Precision irrigation management of apple with an apple-specific Penman-Monteith model. Acta Hort. 1150:245-250.

Dragoni, D., and Lakso, A.N. (2011). An apple-specific ET model. Acta Hortic. 903, 1175–1180. http://dx.doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.903.164.

20Image from Cornell University. http://newa.cornell.edu/index.php?page=apple-irrigation

LOSSES

Air temperatureRelative humidity

Solar radiationWind speed

Allen, R. G., Pereira, L. S., Raes, D., and Smith, M.(1998). “Crop evapo-transpiration: Guidelines for computing crop requirements.”Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 56, FAO, Rome, Italy.

NDFD vs. Ground station

1. Gridded FORECAST (not observations) vs. on-site observations

2. On-site data are also estimates

Washington State University Ag Weather NetworkJones & Chambers, 2015

On-site station problems:* inadequate calibration, sensor quality* sensor failure, (or drift, which is worse)* site selection * inadequate shielding* data collection, storage and delivery* bird nest/poop, spider webs,

vandalism, lightning, blowdowns, tractor hits, spray, etc.

* Time, Cost, & Neglect

Washington State University Ag Weather NetworkJones & Chambers, 2015

NDFD - older 3 mile grid- forecast- mountainareas

vs.On-site

Washington State University Ag Weather NetworkJones & Chambers, 2015

Day

s di

ffer

ence

Apple maggot life stage predictionusing 1-day grid forecast grid

forecast only, no observations!

Washington State University Ag Weather NetworkJones & Chambers, 2015

“It is clear that the NDFD data hold great promise

for use as virtual weather stations.”

Washington State University Ag Weather NetworkJones & Chambers, 2015

GAINS

PrecipitationIrrigation

Allen, R. G., Pereira, L. S., Raes, D., and Smith, M. 1998. “Crop evapo-transpiration: Guidelines for computing crop requirements.”Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 56, FAO, Rome, Italy.

Sun et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017RG000574Photo from NOAA – National Weather Service https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Peoria_ASOS.jpg

Hou et al., 2014 The global precipitation measurement mission 10.1175/bams-d-13-00164.1

Photo from: Onset Computer Corp. https://www.onsetcomp.com/learning/white_papers/deploying-weather-stations

Sun et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017RG000574

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Love makes the world go ‘roundBut weather makes the crops grow

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Ag-Radar

Ag-Radar

Ag-Radar

Photo from: Onset Computer Corp. https://www.onsetcomp.com/learning/white_papers/deploying-weather-stations

Sun et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017RG000574

Sun et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017RG000574

Image from Cornell University. http://newa.cornell.edu/index.php?page=apple-irrigation

Ag-Radar

Sun et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017RG000574

Photo from: Onset Computer Corp. https://www.onsetcomp.com/learning/white_papers/deploying-weather-stations

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