Downloading Weather Data From The World Wide Web

Summary:

Weather data from CR-10 dataloggers located at Antigo, Grand Marsh, Hancock and Plover, Wisconsin are available on the world wide web during the growing season. Data files are updated several times weekly on the web and can be downloaded to your computer for use in WISDOM. This document summarizes the steps used to download weather data files and, once these files are on your computer, to use these files in your WISDOM software.
 
  Data Collection:
  • Call your network provider and connect to the world wide web.
  • Enter the URL (address) for our UW-Plant Pathology Web Site (http://www.plantpath.wisc.edu/)
  • The Department of Plant Pathology web site screen will appear as presented below
  • Click on "Other Department sites"
  • Choose "UW Vegetable Pathology" from the menu.
  • This will take you to the UW Vegetable Pathology screen which appears below.

  1. Choose the area of the web site you wish to view from the areas at the top of the screen.. Each selection is kept as current as possible during the course of the growing season. Click on "2002 Weather Data" to see a menu of weather data options.
  1. We collect in-field weather data from Antigo, Grand Marsh, Hancock and Plover. For each site, we maintain two sets of files: One for daily data without relative humidity data and the second file that contains the relative humidity data. For later import to the Wisdom program, you will need both sets of files for each date or time period.

  1. Weather data for each location is located on a different page - choose the one from the map that you wish to view.  Links to the four locations will be found on each page - so it is easy to move among all four.
  2. If you choose Hancock, for example, you will see a screen that looks like this:

  • Data files are named for the date of download.  As new data are downloaded (every 2-3 days) the newest files will be at the top of the list.  Right click on the filename and choose "Save link as" option to download that file to your computer.  Be sure to record the file name and file location on your computer so that you can find the file later. On some computers you can name the subdirectory where the files will be placed. It will be most convenient for you to save the files in the subdirectory where your Wisdom software is located (or create a special weather subdirectory that is easy for you to locate).
  • After downloading data, you can move to data from another location by choosing the links at the top of the screen or you can choose the button to view the current number of P-Days and Severity Values. Data in this screen are useful in comparing locations without having to use the Wisdom software.

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  • Now that you have the most recent "Daily Data - No RH" and "Hourly Relative Humidity Data" on your computer, you are now ready to import the data to Wisdom. The pages that follow provide directions for data import. Please read them carefully to insure accurate data import.

 Import data to WISDOM

Double click on WISDOM icon on desktop to start WISDOM program
Select the farm by clicking on the folder by "Farm setup"
Select the field by clicking on the folder by "Field setup"
Click on data mgt (upper left of Wisdom screen), choose import text from menu that drops down
First import daily data. Set type to "Daily", config to "UW-CR10-noRH" as shown (noRH option is essential)

Click on "change" button

In the "Folders" window, double click on "C:\" and then double click on the name of the subdirectory where your weather files are located. Next, select "DAT files" in the window "list files of type". In the filename box pick the file you want to import (920hani2.dat for example - all daily data files end with "2", the rest of the name indicates date of download and location)
Check "Overwrite existing data" and "Import to multi-edit targets" boxes (if you are using the multi-edit feature to import data from one source to several fields) at center left of import screen
Click on the "Import box"
Next, import the hourly relative humidity data. Select "Hourly data" (UW-Hourly will automatically appear as the config.)
Click on the "Change" button and select your directory and choose your file (see steps 6-7). The hourly relative humidity files all end in ". . .rh.dat" or ". . .r.dat"
Once again, check "Overwrite existing data" and "Import to multi-edit targets" boxes at center left of import screen
Click on the "Import box"

When importing is done, click on "Close"

Review data in the "Daily Data" screen to see that all days are filled, data looks reasonable.

 

Printing Reports

At the top of the daily data screen are folder symbols which allow you to select the farm and field. This will be the farm/field to which you just imported data unless you change it.

Chose "run" (menu at top of WISDOM screen), then disease from drop down menu.

P-Day and Severity Value graphs will appear on screen like this:
Chose "report" (menu at top of WISDOM screen), then data listing to get a screen like this (location will change for different fields)
Click on printer icon (upper left), to print report  

Close the Data report screen and the Potato Disease Management graph screen
Back in the "Daily Data" screen, select another farm or field and follow the steps above to run the disease module and print another report