Iowa Environmental Mesonet

Historical Data Calendars

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

I have ported over the popular Historical Data Calendar application
from the schoolnet website.  This will work for dates after 2002.  
The app may have some bugs, so please let me know if you see some.

April AWOS data uploaded

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

The 1 minute interval data from the Iowa AWOS network has been
uploaded to the IEM data coffers. The precipitation report for
2008 has been uploaded as well.

April ASOS data uploaded

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

The 1 minute interval data from the Iowa ASOS network has been
uploaded to the IEM data coffers.  Please note that I am also
now processing data from Moline (MLI), Omaha (OMA), and Sioux 
Falls (FSD).  Data from those three sites is available on all
of the pages that support the 1 minute archive.

RWIS Outage

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

The Iowa RWIS data has been unavailable for most of today. No
word on an expected time of restoration.

Representativity Paper

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

Our IEM representativity paper was just published in the
International Journal of Biometeorology.  You will need
a subscription to view the paper at this time.

Representativity of a mesoscale network
for weather-related factors governing pollen dispersal

Daryl E. Herzmann & Jeffrey D. Wolt & Raymond Arritt

DOI 10.1007/s00484-008-0154-7

KCRG-TV webcam network added

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

The IEM is proud to add another webcam network.  This one is 
operated by KCRG-TV, which is based in Cedar Rapids.  They currently
have 3 webcams online with some more on the way. :)

Note: The "Tama" webcam shown on the page is a part of the KCCI-TV
network, but is shared with the KCRG-TV network.

January COOP data uploaded

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

The quality controlled Iowa COOP observations have been uploaded
to the IEM data coffers.  The climodat reports have been reprocessed
as well.

Here is a list of new daily records set:

                  2008___________________2007______
                  JAN  DEC  NOV  OCT  SEP  AUG  JUL
Maximum High:      55    0   49   62   49    8    1
Minimum High:      11    3    2    0   56    9    0
Maximum Low:       65    1    8  234   38   82    4
Minimum Low:      128    0    2    0  129    0   19
Maximum Precip:    33  141    3  160   47  166   53

iemchat Internet disruption

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

Internet connectivity to iemchat is currently down.  No ETA
to return of service at this time, sorry :(
3:30 PM CDT: Internet Service Restored

March AWOS data uploaded

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

The 1 minute interval Iowa AWOS data for March has been 
uploaded to the IEM data coffers.  Enjoy.

March ASOS data uploaded

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

The 1 minute interval Iowa ASOS data has been uploaded to the IEM
data coffers.

Webcam Greatest Hits

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

For the Central Iowa NWA Severe Storms Conference, I put together
a "best of" montage of webcam time lapses.  This video has been 
uploaded to YouTube for your easy viewing pleasure.

It is hard to believe that we have been processing webcam imagery
for 5 years now, with a 5 minute archive for that entire time all 
available online.

Database upgrade

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

The IEM database server software and hardware was upgraded 
this fine Tuesday evening.  We are now using PostGIS 1.3.2 , 
PostgreSQL 8.3.1 , and GEOS 3.0.0 . The previous server was 
running out of space and 3 years old.

If you notice any problems, please let me know.

New RWIS: Plainfield

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

A new RWIS site has been added to the Iowa network.  This site 
is near Plainfield and is located on the west side of Hwy 218.

The preliminary NWS ID for the site is RPFI4  and its DOT ID
is 58.

IEM Cow eats FFWs

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

Curious about the news title?  IEM Cow is an online program that
does National Weather Service Storm Based Warning verification 
based on Local Storm Reports.

IEM Cow grazes on the real time products the NWS puts out and 
produces unofficial verification statistics as its milk.  With
commodity prices at record levels, I needed to find a new food
source for it.  So now IEM Cow will process Flash Flood Warnings 
(FFW) issued in 2008.

Internet Troubles

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

The internet connection to the IEM has been having issues
this fine Sunday.  ISU network admins are aware of an issue,
but there is no known restoration time. 
Update: 6:10 PM - ISU may have identified the problem.

Update 2: 9 AM - Another brief interruption was resolved.

Feb AWOS data uploaded

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

The 1 minute interval data from the Iowa AWOS network has been
uploaded to the IEM data coffers.  This information is provided
on a per month basis by the Iowa Department of Transportation
from their archive of 1 minute observations.

Feb ASOS data uploaded

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

The 1 minute interval data from the Iowa ASOS network has been
uploaded to the IEM data coffers for your enjoyment.

Dec COOP data uploaded

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

The quality controlled NWS COOP data has been uploaded to the
IEM data coffers, which closes the book on 2007! 

Harry Hillaker, Iowa's State Climatologist who kindly provides
us the data, also sent along these factiods.

 - Statewide, December was the 2nd wettest on record (2.57)
 - Statewide, December was the 8th snowiest on record (13.4)
 - Statewide, 2007 was the 4th wettest year (43.35)
 - Statewide, 2007 was the 8th snowiest year (46.9)

Here is a list of new daily records set:

                  __________________2007___________
                  DEC  NOV  OCT  SEP  AUG  JUL  JUN
Maximum High:       0   49   62   49    8    1   16
Minimum High:       3    2    0   56    9    0   15
Maximum Low:        1    8  234   38   82    4    8
Minimum Low:        0    2    0  129    0   19    5
Maximum Precip:   141    3  160   47  166   53   44

Weather Service Open House 3/8

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

The Des Moines National Weather Service office is having an open
house on the 8th of March at their office in Johnston.  The IEM
will be there manning the CooCooRaHS booth and IEM "Dunk Daryl" 
dunk tank (just kidding, I hope).

Improved(?) site navigation

akrherz@iastate.edu (Daryl Herzmann)

Tonight's procrastinated project was to improve the IEM website's
navigation.  But was it improved? :)

The number one mentioned compliment of the IEM is the number of
useful tools available on the website.  The number one compliant
is that they can never find the tool the next day when visiting
the website again.  Hehe...

So I tried to better organize things with the top navigation 
holding direct links to most of the popular apps in a somewhat
hierarchical fashion (I hope).

So let me know what you think and which apps you still can't 
find.