MesoWest Main Help
Overview
Team
Access to Weather and Climate Information
Usage Restrictions
Contact Information
Additional Help Pages
MesoWest User's Guide
Current Mesonet Status (See which Networks are Active)
MesoWest Status Update Log
MesoWest Site Map
Station Interface
Data Download Interface
Current Weather Summary
Maximum/Mininum Summary
Short-Term Precipitation Monitor
Long-Term Precipitation Summary
24-Hour Trend Monitor
Fire Weather Monitor
Surface Weather Maps (FAQ)
Station Search Help (Your Weather)
Data Quality Control Information
Data Quality Plots
Overview
MesoWest is a cooperative project started at the University of Utah in 1996, with a goal of providing access to current and archived weather observations across the United States through web-based resources, such as this website. Support for this initiative has been funded primarily by the National Weather Service through a variety of research and operations-specific projects.
MesoWest has assisted with the development of a commercial entity called Synoptic Data PBC. Synoptic Data PBC is a Public Benefit Corporation in part owned by the University of Utah that has greatly expanded upon MesoWest capabilities to access and distribute environmental information. Instead of university resources, the Synoptic Data PBC ingest and dissemination software exists on cloud-based servers. Synoptic Data PBC facilitates the efficient exchange of data available from diverse sources to allow government agencies, businesses, individuals, and communities to rapidly and equitably access environmental information for use in their daily activities, operations, and decision making.
The MesoWest team collaborate on software development with Synoptic Data PBC staff, who also ensure the operational flow of the environmental data. These data are then made available through the traditional suite of web products within MesoWest, as well as newer API Service capabilities developed by Synoptic Data PBC. These products rely upon weather observing networks that are managed by government agencies, private firms, and educational institutions. The following image displays the growth of weather stations available in terms of actively reporting stations per month.
As seen in the above graph, stations are continuously added to the MesoWest database. Stations also become "inactive" if they discontinue reporting for an extended period of time, or become "active" again if they resume reporting. To view the history of when certain stations were added or changed status, please click the following link:
 View MesoWest Stations which were Added or Changed Status
Stations have also been installed at numerous locations such as around the Great Salt Lake, for example. Observations of temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, precipitation, and other weather parameters are provided and available through MesoWest. Please click the following link for example images of stations:
Example Images of Stations
MesoWest and Synoptic Data PBC services are utilized by numerous organizations. They are used operationally by the National Weather Service to monitor weather conditions around the country in order to protect lives and property. They are used extensively by researchers to understand severe weather events such as winter snow storms, damaging winds, and convective weather events. MesoWest is also available to the educational community for use in the classroom. Students in grades K-12 can observe weather conditions near their school or around the region.
Information on MesoWest data providers, mesonets, stations, and variables can be found using the following links:
MesoWest Mesonet Table
MesoWest Data Provider Table
MesoWest Station Listing (Station ID, Name, Location, and Elevation)
Distribution of Stations by State
Distribution of Stations by Elevation Range
MesoWest Database Variable/Parameter Listing
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MesoWest Support Team
| MesoWest Staff |
| John Horel |
Overall Coordination |
| Alex Jacques |
Web and Database Programming Support |
| Adair Kovac |
Fire Services and HRRR Project Support |
| Colin Johnson |
Research Associate Technical Support |
| Peter Whelan |
Instrumentation Technical Support |
| Brett Botkin |
Undergraduate Student Support |
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Access to Weather and Climate Information
Weather information can be visualized in many different ways. Since different users have different needs, we have developed several methods to access weather information. Here is a brief overview of the purpose for each of the available delivery methods:
Current Weather Summary: The Current Weather Summary provides quick and flexible access to current weather conditions in a tabular format. Users are able to view weather conditions locally or at larger scales.
Interactive Weather Maps: Our interactive Weather Map interface allows easy access to MesoWest data plotted on interactive surface maps.
Website Data Download: MesoWest data can be downloaded directly from our site. Please refer to our Data Download Interface and choose a Station ID to download individual station data. If you have a My MesoWest profile, you will be able to download data for longer time periods. More information on how to download data can be found on our Data Download Help Page.
Synoptic Data PBC API Services: If you wish to access observational data programatically, then the Synoptic Data PBC API Services should be very helpful for your needs. Please visit the Synoptic Data PBC API website for more information on how to get started.
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Usage Restrictions
The data provided to MesoWest arise from cooperative arrangements with many different educational institutions, public agencies and commercial firms. These data are intended to be used by: governmental agencies to protect lives and property, the public for general information, and educational institutions for instructional and research purposes. Any other uses of the data from one or more stations must receive written approval from the agencies that installed the weather sensors. Contact the MesoWest Support Group to receive information on how to obtain written approval.
Due to the nature of data transmission across the Internet and other communication methods, information found on MesoWest may not always be current. No warranties are expressed or implied regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information contained in MesoWest.
Data users are also cautioned to consider the provisional nature of the data before using it for decision making. The user assumes the entire risk related to use of MesoWest data. The Mountain Meteorology Group, MMG, provides the data "as is" and in no event shall the providers be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from lost data or lost profits or revenue, the costs of recovering such data, the costs of substitute data, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages, arising out of the use of the data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and the providers disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use the data.
Images and other information from the MesoWest suite of web products may be utilized for educational and non-commercial uses. It would be very helpful if publications that depend upon substantial use of MesoWest data acknowledge the data providers by including a statement similar to: This study was made possible in part due to the data made available by the governmental agencies, commercial firms, and educational institutions participating in MesoWest. In addition to the providers, two Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society articles may also be referenced if appropriate. These articles are Mesowest: Cooperative Mesonets in the Western United States (Horel et al. 2002) and Weather Support for the 2002 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games (Horel et al. 2002).
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Contact Information
Inquiries and questions regarding MesoWest may be directed to members of the MesoWest Support Group, which can be contacted via email at atmos-mesowest@lists.utah.edu.
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