Illinois State Climatologist, Trent Ford, has requested input from our industry regarding how we use weather/climate data in our operations. His office, along with regional USDA, National Weather Service, and other stakeholders are leading a Climate Services Summit this fall. They will discuss weather and climate information usage, needs, and coordination across the state. The goal is to facilitate discussion that will improve the flow of climate information and services in Illinois; and improve outreach from local, state, and federal partners.
The event will be in Champaign on September 7-8. They have asked Becky Thomas, Spring Grove Nursery, to present how our industry uses weather information so we need your input. Please provide as much detail as you are able, as it will help Becky to show the need for more research in this area to benefit horticultural crops. You may reply either directly to Becky at bthomas@springgrovenursery.com or through this Survey Monkey link created by IGIA Director Kellie Schmidt at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Y7KVP6G
- What sources do you use to get your daily weather data?
- i.e. Local News, Phone Apps (like Accuweather, 1Weather, WeatherBug, Weather Underground), The Weather Channel, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Meteorological Assimilation Data Ingest System (MADIS), etc.
- Please list your specific sources
- Do you use climate outlooks?
- If so, which ones?
- At what timeframe do you most use weather or climate information?
- i.e. 5-7 day forecast, 2-week outlook, 1-month outlook, 3-month outlook, etc.
- Is there weather data or climate change info that would be useful to your growing operation but isn’t currently available in our industry?
- If yes, what?
- What aspects of climate change are most concerning to you related to your growing operation?
- i.e. Temperature change (more extreme heat/cold), Changes in rainfall patterns (seasons of drought, intense rain, etc), Unpredictability of the weather patterns, Changes to air/water quality, Increased severity of storms, Changing wind patterns, etc.
- Do you use weather data in your operation on a daily/weekly basis?
- If so, please share details.
- Do you use weather data in your operation on a long-term planning basis?
- If so, please share details.
- What devices do you use to access weather info?
- i.e. Smartphone, TV, Radio, Computer, Standalone weather station, Rain gauge, etc
- What elements of weather data are most pertinent to your operation?
- i.e. Rain, Wind, Temperature, Growing degree days, Forecast, Historic data, Humidity, etc.
Becky would like your responses back by Aug 15 to allow time to pull the data together for presentation. This is an excellent opportunity for our green industry to be a part of the conversation around climate and share how it affects our operations. Thanks for your input!
For more info about the summit or to register, the link is https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1414715764
Illinois State Climatologist Website: https://stateclimatologist.web.illinois.edu/
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