The Oklahoma Mesonet and NERON Programs: Lessons Learned

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The Oklahoma Mesonet and NERON ProgramsLessons
Learned

• Christopher A. Fiebrich, Manager
• The Oklahoma Mesonet
• Oklahoma Climatological Survey
• University of Oklahoma
• November 16, 2006

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The Purpose of This Presentation

• The purpose of this presentation is to reflect on
  and document lessons learned during the past 15
  years in implementing, maintaining and operating
  the Oklahoma Mesonet.
• It also is to provide another set of lessons
  learned during three years in working with NOAA
  to implement their New England Mesonet the
  initial launch of the NWS program known as NERON.

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The Oklahoma MesonetKey Ingredients for Success

• Standardized hardware, siting and maintenance
  procedures at each site (Fig. 1)
• Reliable two-way communications with each remote
  site (Fig. 2). The near-zero recurring costs (due
  to a partnership with the Oklahoma Department of
  Public Safety) were the initial ingredients to
  foster development of the Mesonet.
• Aggressive data quality control and quality
  assurance procedures (QC/QA Fig. 3 Shafer et
  al. 2000 Fiebrich and Crawford 2001 Fiebrich et
  al. 2005).
• Quality products, relevant to each sector of
  users, that are intuitive and operate on the user
  computers (Fig. 4).
• Strong educational outreach programs that support
  individual user groups with a variety of products
  (Fig. 5).
• Data that has a research quality, yet is provided
  in real time (lt 5 minutes) (Fig. 6).

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The Oklahoma MesonetStandardized Installations
(Fig. 1)
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The Initial, Key IngredientReliable, No-Cost
Communications (Fig. 2)
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The Oklahoma MesonetAggressive Data QC/QA
Procedures (Fig. 3)
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The Oklahoma MesonetQuality Products Relevant
to User Groups (Fig. 4)
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The Oklahoma MesonetStrong Educational Outreach
Programs (Fig. 5)
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Daily Mean Temperatures at Goodwell, OK for
2005(Data from Co-located CRN, HCN Mesonet
Sites)
Figure 6
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The Oklahoma MesonetLessons Learned Negatives

• Instruments dont always work as advertised
• Cheapest is not always the same as least
  expensive
• Funding becomes secure when the check is cashed
• Red tape unravels very slowly
• People who are used to free dont expect ever
  to pay
• Its orders of magnitude EASIER to collect
  metadata upon installation of the network rather
  than try to reconstruct it after the fact

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The Oklahoma MesonetLessons Learned Positives

• Dedicated professionals can overcome
  institutional obstacles.
• An informed and participatory clientele will ease
  the way.
• Careful planning and adherence to standards pays
  off.
• Committees can be made to work (reference item
  1).
• Big dreams can be made to come true.
• The most effective allies are those with a stake
  in your project.
• Help often comes from unexpected quarters.

7.
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The Oklahoma MesonetOther Lessons Learned

• Hardware has a limited shelf life - do not
  purchase until staff is ready to implement.
• Hire the best possible staff. We achieved this in
  Oklahoma by growing our own. This approach is
  far better than hiring off the street and then
  teaching them to care.
• People are a much more important investment than
  is technology. In 10 years, the initial
  technology will be worthless but the people will
  be invaluable if you have mentored them and
  expected them to be creative.

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Lessons Learned with NERON and the GA
MesonetPartnerships Often Are Essential
GA Forestry Station
NWS Coop Station
UGA AEMN Station
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The Georgia MesonetLessons Learned (So Far)

• Cooperative network of networks is feasible,
  practical, and good stewardship.
• The COOP Modernization Plan was crucial to the
  fostering of partnerships. That document showed a
  commitment by the NOAA/NWS.
• Face-to-face interaction and CLEAR communication
  at local level is required. A single point of
  contact at the state level helps (WFO MIC?).
• The WFO desire to maintain friendly relationships
  with long-time COOP observers sometimes took
  precedence over site quality.

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Legacy COOP Network Reasons to Modernize
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And Now - To NERONLessons Learned

• Biggest Success The New England Network was
  working reliably on 9/30/06.
• NERON mistake No chain of command existed.
  Without it, NERON became a Tower of Babel
  because the leaders had no followers. In
  addition, OCS had responsibility but no authority
  to make decisions.
• Other Lessons
• Adequate staffing is essential otherwise, why
  bother?
• Hold external contractors to strict deadlines and
  deliverables otherwise, why bother?
• Do as much data processing at the server level as
  possible.
• The role of a QA Manager is essential otherwise,
  why bother?
• One maintenance technician can handle no more
  than 50 sites if the domain is large.
• Do not purchase delicate gauges and only install
  them as far above ground as is essential.
• Hire maintenance technicians who will take pride
  in their work.

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Anybodys NetworkIngredients for Success

• Standardized hardware, siting and maintenance
  procedures are foundational.
• Reliable two-way communications with remote sites
  and near-zero recurring costs are highly
  desirable.
• Aggressive data quality control and quality
  assurance procedures are essential.
• An efficient data ingest, processing, and product
  generation system capable of turning data around
  in lt5 minutes is highly desirable.
• Strong educational outreach programs that support
  individual user groups with a variety of products
  is strongly recommended.
• Data with a research quality provided in real
  time is an achievable goal.

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Thank YouAny Questions?
Come visit Norman and let us show you our
operation.