HAWAI'I: UH weather monitoring system to improve flood, fire warning, forecasting
To strengthen Hawaiʻi’s flood and wildfire early warning systems and improve the state’s response to natural disasters and climate change impacts, a team of researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), is installing an advanced network of 100 weather monitoring stations across the state to enhance weather and climate monitoring and forecasting. The data collected can also be used for water resource management, agriculture, ranching, ecosystem and cultural resource protection and more.
“It’s about being able to be as prepared as possible, especially when you consider recent events like the devastating Los Angeles wildfires and the terrible Lahaina fire here at home,” said Giambelluca, a long-time professor in the Geography and Environment Department, and former director of the UH Water Resources Research Center (WRRC). “For instance, the system that is constantly collecting data on soil moisture can tell us in real time if an area is highly susceptible to fires or flooding. This same data collected over time can be used by farmers and ranchers.”
For more information about the Hawaiʻi Mesonet, visit WRRC’s website.