The Kentucky Mesonet’s core mission includes enhancing public safety through partnerships with state and federal agencies. Kentucky Mesonet data are provided directly to the National Weather Service, where they help forecasters make informed decisions regarding when and where to issue warnings for severe thunderstorms, winter storms, and flash flooding. In addition, Mesonet data support the Kentucky Emergency Operations Center at the Boone National Guard Center and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Transportation Operations Center.  

There continues to be a backlog of demand in counties that are not yet served by the Kentucky Mesonet. With funding secured through a public-private partnership, planning is underway for the next Kentucky Mesonet station to be installed in Ballard County in the spring of 2021. Meanwhile, officials in Powell County are pursuing a federal grant to install a station there. Discussions have also begun in with local officials and stakeholders in other counties seeking to bring the Kentucky Mesonet to their communities. 

In addition, the Kentucky Mesonet has become a magnet for investment. The Mesonet qualifies for annual funding through the National Mesonet Program that is invested back out into communities to help maintain the long-term operation of stations. Funding through the National Integrated Drought Information System in coordination with the Midwest Drought Early Warning System leverages the Mesonet to enhance Kentucky’s drought early warning and preparedness efforts. The Mesonet also helped to attract funding from the National Science Foundation as part of a four-year, multi-institutional research project to enhance weather forecasting using big data and machine learning. 

Data collected by mesonet stations are publicly available via the Kentucky Mesonet website, www.kymesonet.org. Users can see current weather conditions across the state, with maps highlighting temperature, precipitation, wind, and a host of other meteorological variables. Historical monthly climatological summaries are also available for each Mesonet station. Users can also generate graphs of Mesonet data and access tables that highlight extreme conditions during active weather events.