HOBO Weather Station at Providence Vineyards
Monitoring weather is vital for effective plant disease and insect pest management. Ohio grape growers can receive support to purchase and install an on-site weather station. Access to a weather station will allow growers to monitor weather conditions (e.g. temperature, rain, wind speed and direction, leaf wetness, solar radiation) in their vineyard in real-time, use the integrated pest management (IPM tools) available through the network for environment and weather applications (NEWA), improve fungicide and insecticide application timing, and provide vineyard specific data to regulators in the case of herbicide drift injury.
A grant program for the purchase and installation of a weather station compatible with NEWA is now open. This program was initiated by the OSU Fruit Pathology and Specialty Crop Entomology programs and funded by the Ohio Grape Industries Committee (OGIC). The program will cover $1,029 towards the base price of a weather station starter kit that is compatible with NEWA from HOBO. Growers are responsible for shipping fees, cellular or WIFI charges, the cost of additional sensors or other add-ons that are not included in the starter kit and maintaining the weather station at the end of the funding period. To qualify for the cost share program growers must meet the following requirements:
• Vineyard must be in Ohio.
• Weather station must be connected (onboarded) to NEWA.
• Weather station data must be publicly available through the NEWA website.
• Proof of purchase and delivery is required.
• A grower feedback survey must be completed.
Once all requirements have been met the grower will assume ownership of the weather station.
For more information about the grant program click here: FY27 Weather Station Grant Program Guidelines
“Intent to Participate” forms are due no later than Friday, July 31, 2026.
For more information on NEWA please contact Melanie Lewis Ivey at ivey.14@osu.edu.