Chris Kucharik
@chriskucharik.bsky.social
Professor, Dept of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences / Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Director, WI Environmental Mesonet (Wisconet)
Reposted by Chris Kucharik
@uwenergy.bsky.social's Wisconet is a network of stations around WI that provides timely data that guides farmers’ decisions on irrigation and planting, and can help identify solutions to mitigate the broader impacts of agriculture on climate change.
Learn more: energy.wisc.edu/news/foundat...
Learn more: energy.wisc.edu/news/foundat...
June 12, 2025 at 3:45 PM
@uwenergy.bsky.social's Wisconet is a network of stations around WI that provides timely data that guides farmers’ decisions on irrigation and planting, and can help identify solutions to mitigate the broader impacts of agriculture on climate change.
Learn more: energy.wisc.edu/news/foundat...
Learn more: energy.wisc.edu/news/foundat...
Reposted by Chris Kucharik
Did you see? We've got a new dot on the map, with the help of the U.S. Forest Service!
Wisconet station Shanagolden is now live in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
wisconet.wisc.edu/stations/sha...
Wisconet station Shanagolden is now live in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
wisconet.wisc.edu/stations/sha...
May 28, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Did you see? We've got a new dot on the map, with the help of the U.S. Forest Service!
Wisconet station Shanagolden is now live in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
wisconet.wisc.edu/stations/sha...
Wisconet station Shanagolden is now live in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
wisconet.wisc.edu/stations/sha...
Reposted by Chris Kucharik
We got our 64th weather station installed today!
This is the Darlington station. We were able to reuse a roan tower from a previous weather station.
This is the Darlington station. We were able to reuse a roan tower from a previous weather station.
May 30, 2025 at 12:48 AM
We got our 64th weather station installed today!
This is the Darlington station. We were able to reuse a roan tower from a previous weather station.
This is the Darlington station. We were able to reuse a roan tower from a previous weather station.
Reposted by Chris Kucharik
Wildfire smoke from Canada is moving south this morning and we’ll soon see it overhead. An Air Quality Alert is in effect for all of Wisconsin today and southeastern Wisconsin tomorrow as a result.
The same system bringing the smoke down could also trigger some storms with hail this afternoon.
The same system bringing the smoke down could also trigger some storms with hail this afternoon.
May 30, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Wildfire smoke from Canada is moving south this morning and we’ll soon see it overhead. An Air Quality Alert is in effect for all of Wisconsin today and southeastern Wisconsin tomorrow as a result.
The same system bringing the smoke down could also trigger some storms with hail this afternoon.
The same system bringing the smoke down could also trigger some storms with hail this afternoon.
Reposted by Chris Kucharik
In which @mattlanza.bsky.social, @nickpbassill.bsky.social, and I talk about weather balloon suspensions, data, forecasts, and warnings.
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
Meteorologists say NWS cuts degraded forecasts during recent storms
The National Weather Service’s reduction in weather balloon launches meant forecasters had less data available when the central U.S. got hammered with hail and tornadoes.
www.nbcnews.com
April 23, 2025 at 3:10 PM
In which @mattlanza.bsky.social, @nickpbassill.bsky.social, and I talk about weather balloon suspensions, data, forecasts, and warnings.
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
Reposted by Chris Kucharik
April 23, 2025 at 8:33 PM
This visitor just showed up at our home office window to say hello; no trailcam needed! #wildlife #wisconsin
April 5, 2025 at 3:23 PM
This visitor just showed up at our home office window to say hello; no trailcam needed! #wildlife #wisconsin
Posting a series of videos from a simple backyard trailcam that has captured some surprising visitors the past few months of winter. Location is low density urban just a few miles NE of Madison, WI. #wildlife #trailcam #Wisconsin
April 5, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Posting a series of videos from a simple backyard trailcam that has captured some surprising visitors the past few months of winter. Location is low density urban just a few miles NE of Madison, WI. #wildlife #trailcam #Wisconsin
Reposted by Chris Kucharik
Noisy morning today in southern Wisconsin - more than 24,000 lightning detections as thunderstorms moved through the area.
This is about 1% of the annual lightning for Wisconsin.
This is about 1% of the annual lightning for Wisconsin.
March 28, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Noisy morning today in southern Wisconsin - more than 24,000 lightning detections as thunderstorms moved through the area.
This is about 1% of the annual lightning for Wisconsin.
This is about 1% of the annual lightning for Wisconsin.
Reposted by Chris Kucharik
The NWS has always been a model of how to be a government weather agency. I hate to think what might happen to our capacity to forecast and respond to hazardous weather events this spring and summer.
National Weather Service employees were encouraged to take early retirements at an all-hands meeting Thursday. The union believes as many as 1,000 could leave in the coming months - out of a workforce of just over 4,000.
With @weathersullivan.bsky.social (gift):
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
With @weathersullivan.bsky.social (gift):
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
US Weather Service Merges Offices as Staffing Pressure Mounts
The US National Weather Service will merge two of its largest forecasting units as it prepares for the loss of as many as 1,000 staffers.
www.bloomberg.com
March 28, 2025 at 1:00 AM
The NWS has always been a model of how to be a government weather agency. I hate to think what might happen to our capacity to forecast and respond to hazardous weather events this spring and summer.
Reposted by Chris Kucharik
Wisconet Research Program Manager @coweatherman.bsky.social spoke with NBC News about the impacts of reduced radiosonde launches on weather forecast accuracy.
“Where these balloons are missing…is where…a lot of the storms that will impact the Great Lakes and Eastern United States first develop.”
“Where these balloons are missing…is where…a lot of the storms that will impact the Great Lakes and Eastern United States first develop.”
"The balloons are among the most important sources of data for weather models... When they compared various instruments used to aid forecasting, NASA researchers found that radiosondes had the second-biggest impact on forecast quality, after satellites."
With fewer weather balloons due to government staffing cuts, forecasts may be less accurate
At least 10 sites have suspended or limited weather balloon launches, which used to occur twice daily, because of the Trump administration’s cuts to the National Weather Service.
www.nbcnews.com
March 27, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Wisconet Research Program Manager @coweatherman.bsky.social spoke with NBC News about the impacts of reduced radiosonde launches on weather forecast accuracy.
“Where these balloons are missing…is where…a lot of the storms that will impact the Great Lakes and Eastern United States first develop.”
“Where these balloons are missing…is where…a lot of the storms that will impact the Great Lakes and Eastern United States first develop.”
Reposted by Chris Kucharik
Portions of northeastern Wisconsin have had an Ice Storm Warning issued from Saturday evening through Sunday evening.
This is the first Ice Storm Warning for the NWS Green Bay forecast area in about 3 years.
Up to 1/2" of ice is expected, with tree and powerline damage likely.
This is the first Ice Storm Warning for the NWS Green Bay forecast area in about 3 years.
Up to 1/2" of ice is expected, with tree and powerline damage likely.
March 28, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Portions of northeastern Wisconsin have had an Ice Storm Warning issued from Saturday evening through Sunday evening.
This is the first Ice Storm Warning for the NWS Green Bay forecast area in about 3 years.
Up to 1/2" of ice is expected, with tree and powerline damage likely.
This is the first Ice Storm Warning for the NWS Green Bay forecast area in about 3 years.
Up to 1/2" of ice is expected, with tree and powerline damage likely.
Reposted by Chris Kucharik
It's a new era at Wisconet!
Our network is now running on a virtual private network and communicating through Vaisala's Observation Network Manager.
You will see a significantly increased data latency (~15 minutes ➡️ ~5 minutes) and availability.
Our network is now running on a virtual private network and communicating through Vaisala's Observation Network Manager.
You will see a significantly increased data latency (~15 minutes ➡️ ~5 minutes) and availability.
March 6, 2025 at 12:33 AM
It's a new era at Wisconet!
Our network is now running on a virtual private network and communicating through Vaisala's Observation Network Manager.
You will see a significantly increased data latency (~15 minutes ➡️ ~5 minutes) and availability.
Our network is now running on a virtual private network and communicating through Vaisala's Observation Network Manager.
You will see a significantly increased data latency (~15 minutes ➡️ ~5 minutes) and availability.
Reposted by Chris Kucharik
Welcome to the mesonet community, University of Vermont!
We're happy to have been a small part of the inspiration to begin your mesonet and look forward to supporting your growth!
www.uvm.edu/water/news/u...
We're happy to have been a small part of the inspiration to begin your mesonet and look forward to supporting your growth!
www.uvm.edu/water/news/u...
University of Vermont to Begin Developing a Statewide Weather Monitoring Network | Water Resources Institute | The University of Vermont
With key collaborations, UVM is launching an initiative to establish a statewide weather monitoring network, or Mesonet, which will empower communities to better prepare for and respond to weather eme...
www.uvm.edu
March 5, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Welcome to the mesonet community, University of Vermont!
We're happy to have been a small part of the inspiration to begin your mesonet and look forward to supporting your growth!
www.uvm.edu/water/news/u...
We're happy to have been a small part of the inspiration to begin your mesonet and look forward to supporting your growth!
www.uvm.edu/water/news/u...
Reposted by Chris Kucharik
FYI - The USDA-NASS released the 2024 Cropland Data Layer last week at a new higher resolution (10 m). It's an example of an incredibly important public dataset with decades of investment made by dedicated individuals: www.nass.usda.gov/Research_and...
USDA - National Agricultural Statistics Service- Research and Science - Cropland Data Layer Releases
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Information. NASS publications cover a wide range of subjects, from traditional crops, such as corn and wheat, to specialties, such as mushrooms and flowe...
www.nass.usda.gov
March 5, 2025 at 3:28 PM
FYI - The USDA-NASS released the 2024 Cropland Data Layer last week at a new higher resolution (10 m). It's an example of an incredibly important public dataset with decades of investment made by dedicated individuals: www.nass.usda.gov/Research_and...