By By MaryClaire Foster
During his undergraduate career, Atmore resident Donald Wright saw an opportunity to provide the city with something that would bring a multitude of benefits.
A gap in weather stations in the Atmore area has hindered the availability for concrete information for both airport functions and weather reports.
Because of action by Wright, a graduate in meteorology from the University of South Alabama, this will no longer be the case.
South Alabama has now finished construction on its mesonet weather station, which has been in operation for two weeks and takes up a 30 x 30 area.
According to Wright, a mesonet is a group of weather stations forming a network. With the addition of the Atmore station, not only will there be more precise landfall and hurricane information, but the station will provide weather information that will be useful year round.
Wright said information obtained from the station will also assist in claims with FEMA.
Meynig also said it will assist in pilots landing at the airport.
Airport manager Mickey Parker said before pilots had to get information from Evergreen.
Meynig said eventually there will be sensors installed with the weather station to determine soil and air moisture.
Wright said implementing the Automated Surface Observation System will help with water conservation efforts and assist with drought information.
Meynig will be in charge of the Atmore station and said he will checking operations at least once a month. The station will also have to be calibrated every two years.
Residents can check updates from the station at two Web sites: