8-12-26 Powell County By Brandon Farmer Assistant Editor
On Tuesday, August 4th local officials and representatives from Western Kentucky University gathered behind Stanton Elementary for the unveiling of a new, state-of-the-art weather terminal which is part of the Kentucky Mesonet, an end-to-end network of 87 weather stations that collects and distributes critical, real-time information about weather, water, and climate across the entire state. The Stanton installation is the latest site in this vast network of sophisticated tech.
The Powell County Mesonet station is located at the field adjacent to the new Stanton Elementary School, and last Tuesday the system was officially launched and formally introduced as the newest addition to this important and consequential data network. It has been widely accepted that Kentucky is now firmly seated in what is considered “tornado alley”, or the area of the country with increased risk of experiencing damaging storms, high winds, flooding, and other hazardous weather events. Kentucky has been at the center of multiple tragic and deadly storms in the last decade, including the devasting tornadoes in West Liberty, Mayfield, London, and Somerset, as well as the historic and heartbreaking flooding that occurred in Eastern Kentucky in 2022. The Mesonet acts as an early warning system and a lifeline for Kentucky communities by providing quick and accurate data, allowing citizens, Emergency Management, and first responders to be informed and prepared during any hazardous weather event.
“Powell County is prone for flooding, flash flooding, and severe storms,” said Judge Executive Eddie Barnes, “About a month or two ago, they saw part of a formation – starting of a tornado here in Powell County that granted them to issue a tornado warning. Time is of the essence whenever you’re dealing with people’s lives. The quicker we get information out, the quicker that they can seek shelter. The system here – I think, is great.”
Emergency Management Director, John Koontz and former EM and CSEPP Director, Kevin Babcock also spoke highly about the Kentucky Mesonet and how the new station will aid in their mission to spread awareness, ensure the safety of the public, and promote greater preparedness in the wake of Kentucky’s volatile and changing weather patterns and climate.
For more information on WKU’s Kentucky Mesonet Network, visit their website at kymesonet.org.
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