Extension office to offer special program

By Sam Waller

A program to introduce the new West Texas Mesonet station near Albany is being organized for Wednesday, Aug. 31, with adult continuing education units available.

Shackelford County extension agent Kelsey Bell said plans are still being worked out.

“I don’t have exact details yet, but I will soon,” Bell said on Tuesday.

The West Texas Mesonet, a project of Texas Tech’s National Wind Institute, provides meteorological observations from 115 stations distributed across West Texas and covering 74 counties in the Texas Panhandle, South Plains, Rolling Plains, Permian Basin, Trans Pecos, Concho Valley, Big Country, Edwards Plateau, Hill Country, eastern New Mexico, and southwest Colorado, according to the institute’s website.

The Shackelford County equipment was installed in March of this year.

The West Texas Mesonet provides real-time data including wind speed and direction at different levels, air temperatures at different levels, humidity and dew point, solar radiation, rainfall, barometric pressure, and climate histories. Agricultural data includes soil temperature and moisture, leaf wetness and evapotranspiration.

More information can be found online at www.mesonet.ttu.edu.

“The meso­net is located at the Compton Ranch east of Albany,” Bell said. “This program is intended to clarify what it is, what the purpose is, and how it can help us.”

The program will be conducted by meteorologist Steve Kersh, Compton’s son-in-law.

“Current weather pattern, drought conditions,, and expectations will be discussed,” Bell said.