- UDOT evaluates weather stations twice a year for necessary maintenance and upkeep.
- Stations monitor various weather parameters to aid in road management, especially in harsh conditions.
- Data is disseminated to the public through various road signs, as well as UDOT's traffic website and app.
With winter out of sight and summer around the corner, the Utah Department of Transportation is hurrying to service its weather stations across the state, crucial for providing real-time safety data.
UDOT assesses the status of its weather stations twice a year — once in the spring, before the summer thunderstorms, and once during the fall, before winter arrives. This week, Cedar City’s weather stations are undergoing evaluations.
The weather stations are part of the Road Weather Information Systems, or RWIS, a network of on-field measurement devices that provide accurate weather assessment for effective road management, especially during winter.
“This data helps us plan everything from our pre-storm treatment to post-storm management,” Cody Oppermann, UDOT’s weather operations specialist and RWIS coordinator, said. “The information our weather stations provide us is crucial in helping us make the best decisions for snow mitigation and everyone traveling on Utah’s roads.”
Strategically placed around the state, these stations monitor various weather parameters such as temperature, humidity levels, and rain, wind and snowfall rate, as well as visibility and road conditions.
This data is then available to the public through variable messaging signs on the road and the UDOT traffic website and app, or directly to vehicles.
Oppermann explained there are different factors that determine the placement of a weather station. Often, the stations are purposely set up in spots prone to harsh weather conditions while ensuring easy accessibility, crew safety and road proximity.
“On I-80, we want to pick out the spots where the winds might be the strongest, on the edges of the mountain ranges,” Opperman said. “Or we want the snowiest spot in a maintenance station’s area.”
With nearly 200 operational stations, UDOT carefully assesses the requirements for new installations. These stations are positioned in critical areas that offer additional weather insights, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of Utah’s nuanced weather patterns.
Analysts review weather-related crash data to determine the necessity of additional information.
