The National Mesonet Program

Since 2009, in response to the National Academies' release of Observing Weather and Climate From the Ground Up: A Nationwide Network of Networks, Congress has directed support for the National Weather Service's National Mesonet Program. The initial focus of the Program was on gathering and systematically documenting comprehensive metadata for existing surface networks, consistent with the findings and recommendations of the Academy. The program has grown to include numerous private and public sector mesonets, providing hydrometeorological observations from nearly 8000 sites. More recently, the Program and partnering mesonets are "going vertical" and providing observations from new and emerging vertical profiling technologies as envisioned in From the Ground Up and subsequent reports from the Academies. Concurrently, the Program is supporting development efforts within NOAA and NWS to better utilize data in warning and forecast operations. This talk will feature a panel-style discussion that provides an update on the various components of the Program and seeks input from the broader Weather Enterprise as NWS continues to work with the constituents of the National Mesonet Program to address key Network of Networks concepts.