CROTHERSVILLE

Information about weather in Crothersville now is available by making a few key strokes and clicking a mouse.

When visiting the town’s website, crothersville.net, the data can be found by clicking below where it says “Weather in our area right now.”

That takes you to the Weather Underground site specifically made for Crothersville.

In the past, the only weather information available on the town’s website was for nearby Austin because that community has a weather station.

But the weather in that community sometimes can be different than Crothersville, said Maison Boicourt, the town’s wastewater superintendent.

“A lot of times, when they get an inch of rain, we may get an inch and a half,” he said.

By having a weather station at the sewer plant in Crothersville, Boicourt can use that data for his everyday reporting, and it would be available for residents and anyone else accessing the town website.

A 10-day weather forecast, the current temperature and an almanac are among the many features available on the new weather station page for Crothersville. The weather station updates every 1 to 10 seconds.

People also can download an app to their phone or tablet device for on-the-go convenience.

The town council recently agreed to allow Boicourt to spend $715 for the weather station and for its data to be linked to the town’s Weather Underground site. That was paid for through Boicourt’s operating fund.

“They have personal weather stations all around the country and even the world,” Boicourt said. “You can buy one of their approved weather stations, and you can link it up to their website to host your weather data. It will read everything that I need it to read and more.”

Boicourt said he looked into the weather station after the March 1 storm that rolled through the southern part of the county. He wanted to find an easier way to determine the amount of rain the area receives and how that affects operations of the sewer plant.

He has rain gauges at the sewer plant and police station and uses that information in his reporting.

The weather station tracks hourly rain intensity, which Boicourt said is a big deal in his reporting. It also provides information on wind direction, barometric pressure and temperature.

“I’ll probably still use my data, as well, but (the weather station) will be a good checks and balances tool, too,” he said.

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To learn about weather in Crothersville, visit crothersville.net and click below where it says “Weather in our area right now.”

The information also can be accessed by visiting wunderground.com and searching “Crothersville, Indiana.”

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