See event listings and more articles in this edition of Agri-News: June 20, 2022 issue
“Most weather apps only tell you what the current conditions are along with a forecast,” says Virginia Nelson, director of Natural Resource Analysis Section with the Alberta government. “But what about last night? Did it freeze? Did it rain or snow? Was it windy? What about last week? How much moisture fell? This can be critical information for farmers, gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts.”
Nelson points out this information is often missing from today’s ‘run of the mill’ weather apps. With the Alberta Climate Information Service (ACIS), Albertans can access the forecast, weather alerts, radar, the past weather, and even look at 60-year climate trends.
“ACIS is an interactive tool where you can see weather data from over 450 stations in the province. Your current weather conditions can be at your fingertips along with the last 72 hours of precipitation, temperature, wind information and also Environment Canada’s 7-day forecast.”
To add ACIS to your mobile home screen, visit weatherdata.ca and when prompted, select ‘OK’ to navigate to the mobile-friendly weather data page. For iPhones, select the ‘Share’ icon and then ‘Add to Home Screen.’ For Android devices, tap on the 3 dots on the upper right-hand corner of the screen and select ‘Add to Home Screen.’
Home screen features
“There are many features on the home screen to help you make the best use of ACIS,” explains Nelson.
- Save your favourite weather station. By clicking on the weather station name, you can select from over 450 stations. Make it a favourite by clicking on the heart.
- Current temperature, humidity and wind, plus a 24-hour graph are front and centre. Click on one of the graphs to see 72 hours of detailed information.
- Move back to the home page by selecting ‘Current’ near the top left.
- There is 72-hour interactive graph showing precipitation. Touch the line and it will indicate how much precipitation fell in that 72-hour period.
Menu features
“There is a lot of information available at your fingertips for the weather around your fields. You can find these gems by clicking on the menu icon in the top left corner.”
For example, if you are wondering how this June’s rain compares to last June or to the last 30-year average, select ‘Monthly Accumulation Reports.’
Getting back to the home screen is easy. Select the menu icon and then ‘Weather Station Data.’
“ACIS helps producers find weather forecasts, browse over 10,000 maps of Alberta weather and climate related information, and access near real time weather data from over 450 meteorological stations operating in Alberta. The maps and weather data describe Alberta's weather, climate and related agriculture features to help with long-term planning and decision-making throughout the growing season,” says Nelson.
For more information, see:
Contact
For more information, connect with Virginia Nelson at 587-486-1010.
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