Press Herald reports on UMaine weather station network initiative
The Portland Press Herald reported on an initiative from the University of Maine to build a statewide automated weather station network. The effort will be supported by $3.5 million in Congressionally Directed Spending secured in the federal fiscal year 2024 budget by U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King. The project team includes Sean Birkel, state climatologist and assistant research professor with the Climate Change Institute and University of Maine Cooperative Extension; Bee Chim, assistant professor of sustainable agriculture with Extension; Lily Calderwood, associate professor of horticulture and wild blueberry specialist with Extension; and Philip Fanning, assistant professor of agricultural entomology. The network is intended to warn communities ahead of severe weather, improve weather forecasts, help farmers and foresters and create a long-term climate record. Centralmaine.com shared the report.