Russell County has long had the need for a local Kentucky Mesonet Weather Station.  In working with a local farmer, the county judge, UK Specialist, and WKU.  Russell County was able to secure the funding of and placement of our own local weather station.  This station will be used not only for measuring the temperature, wind speed, dewpoint, humidity, and daily precipitation, but will also be fitted with equipment that will be used in local forage research. 

After conversation with a local farmer, the need to be able to measure curing time for hay became a reoccurring concern.  The farmer is a producer of horse quality hay and moisture and drying time are of the upmost concern.  This weather station will be used to hopefully help develop equations for drying time based on factors determined by the weather station.  This information will hopefully aid in the production of higher quality forages for hay producers across the commonwealth, and possibly the Southeast.