Weather and other environmental data is a critical factor in all disasters, either as a primary threat itself, or as a condition that drives response actions. Violent weather including tornados, hail, ice storms, floods, and blizzards, or the extreme environments of heat waves, droughts or deep cold require life-safety responses. Toxic chemical releases, fires, nuclear accidents, and even terror attacks feature weather as a central driver that shapes the incident. Continuously updated, accurate, and localized environmental data is vital to decision-makers who must be ready to respond to quickly changing conditions during all kinds of disasters.

To supply this vital information, Hennepin County Emergency Management is leading a multi-county effort to develop a network of real-time environmental sensor stations. These stations enable better forecasting, early detection, accurate modeling and detailed depiction of dangerous events. The sensors offer more varied types of information at a much more localized level, and at more frequent interval than previously possible.  This effort will improve emergency decision-making which in turn will save lives, reduce property losses and help protect the environment.

This request has been reviewed and approved by the Hennepin County Chief Information Officer.