Minnesota State Wire

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has expanded its Minnesota Ag Weather Network (MAWN) by adding a new weather station just west of Viking. The newly launched station, named Viking 1SW, will provide localized weather data to farmers in Marshall and Pennington counties. These areas previously lacked coverage from the MAWN system.

A second station near Fosston in Polk County is expected to become operational later this month. With these additions, the total number of MDA-operated and partner-supported weather stations across Minnesota will reach 58.

The development of the Viking site was made possible through collaboration with Pennington County Ag Services, which assisted in securing a location for the station. The addition addresses a gap in coverage and supports MAWN’s aim to offer reliable weather data within a 20-mile radius for farmers throughout the state. This information helps producers make informed decisions about irrigation, crop health, soil management, and water conservation.

“This station will finally give farmers in Northwest Minnesota access to the weather data they’ve been missing,” said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “It’s about providing tools that help producers protect their land, use water wisely, and adapt quickly to changing conditions.”

MAWN weather stations collect real-time environmental data including rainfall, air temperature, wind speed and direction, dew point temperature, soil temperature down to 7.5 feet, soil moisture up to 40 inches deep, solar radiation levels, as well as snow depth and snow water equivalent measurements.

Beyond raw data collection, the network also provides tools such as daily estimated crop water use calculations, disease risk forecasts for crops, irrigation scheduling recommendations tailored to local conditions, and runoff risk predictions.

MAWN works closely with the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network (NDAWN) so that weather information is freely available online. Data from Viking 1SW and other Minnesota stations can be accessed via platforms like the NDAWN Inversion App or through the North Dakota Ag Weather Network website. Other partners involved include the University of Minnesota and various soil and water conservation districts statewide.

In 2023, MDA received $3 million from Minnesota’s Clean Water Fund aimed at expanding MAWN’s reach. This funding supports installation of around 40 new weather stations over three years in partnership with local organizations. Due to climate variability across regions of Minnesota, officials estimate that up to 80 stations may eventually be needed for comprehensive coverage providing accurate local insights.

This year alone saw MDA install twelve new stations in southern parts of the state at locations including Cologne (Carver County), Eyota (Olmsted County), Fairfax (Renville County), Geneva (Freeborn County), Godahl (Brown County), Hastings (Dakota County), Kenyon (Goodhue County), Madison (Lac qui Parle County), Murdock (Swift County), Pine Island (Dodge County), Willmar (Kandiyohi County), and Windom (Jackson County). These sites are already collecting publicly accessible data via NDAWN platforms.

Farmers or landowners interested in learning more about MAWN or viewing live weather data can visit www.mda.state.mn.us/minnesota-ag-weather-network. Those wishing to host a future station can apply through www.mda.state.mn.us/weather-station-host.