NDAWN

The North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network (NDAWN) consists of 85 stations distributed across North Dakota and border regions of surrounding states. Through careful site selection, it is assumed each station adequately represents all weather conditions except rainfall, in a 20-mile (32 km) radius area. Stations are identified by the name of a nearby city or town. The number and letter(s) following the name indicates the distance in miles and direction from the city’s edge. For example, Leonard 5N means the station is located approximately 5 miles north of Leonard.

Stations provide five minute averages, hourly averages or totals for all variables, and hourly maximum wind speed. It also provides daily summaries consisting of maximum and minimum air temperature, maximum wind speed, times of occurrence, and various totals or averages for all other variables in English or metric units. Measured and calculated variables and complete descriptions of each may be found in the site description and archived data areas.

Data are retrieved via wireless modem every 5 minutes, with hourly and daily data being sent to HPRCC shortly after midnight each day for automated quality control. A computer program identifies missing or erroneous values for hourly and daily data, which are replaced by estimates calculated from data at surrounding stations. Following this initial quality control (QC), data are loaded into the NDAWN data base and made available to the general public via the NDAWN web site free of charge. Every Monday thru Friday morning, except holidays, data from all stations are visually compared in order to identify suspicious or erroneous data that the computer program cannot detect. In addition, weekly and monthly average data are similarly compared to identify possible calibration or other problems. Please note that current, 5-minute data are NOT quality controlled. For more info see QC.

Since its inception in 1989, all NDAWN equipment, non-labor operational costs, and some labor costs have been funded through gifts and grants from various federal and state government agencies, commodity organizations, agricultural clubs, businesses, and individuals. In addition, data base/web site restructuring which allowed us to disseminate these valuable data was funded through a federal agency grant.

Disclaimer

North Dakota State University (NDSU), the School of Natural Resource Sciences (SNRS), and the NDAWN Center disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including any warranty of fitness for a particular purpose, as to the accuracy or reliability of NDAWN data or information and assumes no responsibility for their use. Such data or information are provided on an as is basis. Any user of NDAWN data, and/or any products produced directly or indirectly from these data, assumes the entire risk related to their use. In no event will North Dakota State University be liable to you or to any third party for any direct, indirect, consequential or exemplary damages or lost profit resulting from any use or misuse of NDAWN data. We reserve the right to modify any data or information found on this web site as deemed necessary. Please use judgment before using any NDAWN data. If you believe some data are erroneous please notify us at once.