The University of Nebraska–Lincoln expanded the Nebraska Mesonet network in 2025 by adding 21 new weather stations across the state. This project received $1.48 million in funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency, and the Lower Loup and Upper Elkhorn Natural Resources Districts. With these new stations, Nebraska now has 94 Mesonet stations. Ruben Behnke, manager of the Nebraska Mesonet, aims to increase the network to 200 stations in the future. He said a denser network is needed to provide accurate and localized weather data for agriculture and emergency management.
Mesonet stations provide real-time weather and soil data. Nebraska farmers use this information to make decisions about irrigation, planting, spraying, and harvesting. The stations measure temperature, precipitation, humidity, solar radiation, wind speed, and soil moisture. This data is used for daily farm operations and for disaster relief applications during droughts, floods, or hailstorms. Curtis Gotschall, a cow-calf operator and board member of the Upper Elkhorn Natural Resources District, said expanding the network is important, especially in western and north-central Nebraska where coverage has been limited.
Government agencies, including the Army Corps of Engineers, USDA, Nebraska Forest Service, and Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, use Mesonet data for decision-making. The data helps predict and manage natural disasters, verify landowner claims, and support emergency response. The Army Corps of Engineers has committed an additional $900,000 for 2026. This funding will support more weather stations in Nebraska and the Upper Missouri River Basin, which includes parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana…