Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Weather topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County to join Florida severe-weather network; state to place up to five weather stations
Summary
Emergency management presented a memorandum allowing placement of up to five state-owned weather stations that will report to the National Weather Service; the state covers initial purchase and three years’ maintenance.
Hardee County’s emergency management director presented a memorandum of agreement on Feb. 6 to join the Florida Severe Weather network and to host up to five weather stations placed by the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
The agreement allows county-owned weather stations to be configured to report to the National Weather Service and provides for installation and three years of maintenance by the state. The counties would be responsible for maintenance costs thereafter; staff estimated those ongoing costs at about $2,000 per year but said participating counties in the program have not necessarily been charged in past years as the program matures.
The director said two county-owned stations already existed but did not report to the National Weather Service, leaving the county as a coverage gap in regional weather reporting. The new stations are solar-powered, have cellular telemetry and include public live-streaming camera capability. Two of the stations are planned for county parks, which staff said will also allow remote public viewing of park conditions.
Commissioners asked whether airport automated-surface observation data could be integrated; staff said the airport station exists but is not as publicly accessible and that the FEMA/State stations will provide a simple public website login for live conditions. No formal action was recorded at the workshop; staff presented the memorandum and opened questions.
The board did not record a vote at the workshop; staff said the state would fund the initial purchase and installation and that the county’s responsibility would begin after the three-year maintenance period.
