The City of St. Augustine, in partnership with the St. Johns County Emergency Management, has installed a new WeatherSTEM station, funded by the Florida Division of Emergency Management. This station, located at the St. Augustine Municipal Marina, will serve as real-time weather information source, beginning with the 2021 hurricane season.
“WeatherSTEM stations pick up wind speed, wind direction, rain rate, temperature, humidity, UV radiation, solar radiation and lightning detection,” explained Ed Mansouri, the owner of WeatherSTEM. “These stations are capable of updating and broadcasting weather data and condition changes instantly.”
"From a public safety perspective, WeatherSTEM is an excellent resource that we can use to make data-informed decisions,” said Fire Chief Carlos Aviles. "It will help us evaluate when sustained winds and wind gusts, as well as ocean tides are picking up beyond a manageable level.”
"St. Johns County Emergency Management uses WeatherSTEM for several different purposes," said Kelly Wilson, St. Johns County Emergency Management deputy director. "On a daily basis, our numerous WeatherSTEM stations throughout the county help us maintain situational awareness on the current conditions. This location at the St. Augustine Municipal Marina will be part of a larger, countywide and statewide, network of WeatherSTEM stations.”
A list of all WeatherSTEM locations within St. Johns County is available online at stjohns.weatherstem.com. There is also a WeatherSTEM app available for both iOS and Android, where you can select the station from which you would like to receive notifications and localized forecasts.
For specific information about weather in St. Augustine, follow CityStAug WeatherSTEM on Facebook and Twitter, and check out the online dashboard to see the live stream camera and select key metrics to monitor.
“Having a WeatherSTEM location in the heart of downtown really gives us an advantage when it comes to hurricane preparedness and emergency management,” said Eric Mauldin, St. Augustine Municipal Marina Harbormaster. “The real-time weather data provided by this unit will give the city vital information to better inform residents, visitors and boaters of current hazards.”
For more information, contact the St. Augustine Fire Department at 904-825-1098 or the St. Augustine Municipal Marina Harbormaster’s Office at 904-825-1026.
