With a new University of Oregon weather station on the Eugene campus, you’ll have all the information you need to be ready for local conditions, rain or shine.
The Division of Safety and Risk Services recently installed the device atop Prince Lucien Campbell Hall, bringing local, up-to-the-minute weather information to the UO and the public. The device helps UO officials at the Eugene campus and counterparts across Eugene-Springfield hold sports and other outdoor activities safely despite threats such as thunderstorms, winter weather and wildfire smoke.
By visiting the UO’s Weatherstem webpage or downloading the app, anyone seeking the conditions for the Eugene campus and surrounding areas can get real-time information on lightning strikes, heat, air quality, winter weather, forecasts and more. Uses include:
- Status of lightning strikes, with proximity, safety guidance and a running 30-minute timer.
- Air quality on the Eugene campus and in the surrounding area.
- Minute-by-minute heat updates with guidance for activities.
- Daily time-lapse video that tracks weather movement in and around the Eugene campus.
- Radar and satellite monitoring of weather in the region.
- Hourly forecasts, including rain and winter weather.
- Academic partnerships, including the UO Oregon Hazards Lab, which has added sensors to the device for detection of earthquakes and wildfires.
The weather station is provided through Weatherstem, which offers weather monitoring through a suite of weather sensors, outdoor warning systems and software platforms. Weatherstem partners with schools, public safety agencies, outdoor venues and other enterprises to improve real-time access to weather data.
One of the goals of the weather station, as stated by André Le Duc, UO vice president and chief resilience officer, is to “empower individuals and the campus community with real-time data to help them make informed decisions about current weather conditions.”
He further emphasized, “Everyone has a role to play in safety, and this tool is designed to assist in that effort.”
The UO works closely with the National Weather Service to ensure accurate forecasts for all campuses. Adding the weather station to the Eugene campus is important in part to collect data on campus conditions, as weather conditions in the southern Willamette Valley can vary significantly depending on location.
“We wanted a physical station on the Eugene campus with professional sensors that we can turn to,” Le Duc said. “Having a data source on our campus is key.”
The weather app and website will help officials who must decide whether to close schools due to icy conditions, students checking whether the walk to class should include an umbrella, and families planning a weekend camping trip, according to Lindsey Salfran, emergency management and continuity program director.
“It was really important to us to have the weather station in place for fall sports, and as we start to prepare for winter weather,” she said. “It never rains in Autzen Stadium, but it sure does love to come real close.”
The weather station is made to withstand hurricane-force winds and is equipped with a dual-purpose high-quality weather camera.
The movement of systems in the area can be monitored through the weather station’s daily time-lapse video. It features a public, high-resolution camera that condenses a 24-hour period to a minute or so — also perfect for those who enjoy the emergence of stars and other celestial bodies.
Over the summer, in fact, Le Duc saw a glorious clip of the sun coming up behind the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, bathing Memorial Quad in warm light. It brought to mind the theme guiding the university’s strategic priorities.
“You can see the sun rise over campus,” Le Duc said. “So anyone can watch ‘Oregon Rising.’”
—Matt Cooper, University Communications