New Rutgers weather station now operational in Somerset County, providing real-time weather data
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Somerset County) — A new Rutgers University weather station is now operating in Franklin Township, providing real-time weather observations and historical climate data to help improve forecasting, severe weather preparedness and educational opportunities in central New Jersey.
New Jersey American Water and the American Water Charitable Foundation announced the completion of the station, which is located at the utility company’s Canal Road Water Treatment Plant. The project was supported by a $25,000 State Strategic Impact grant awarded in 2024 to the Rutgers University Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist.
The new station is part of the Rutgers New Jersey Weather Network, which collects and distributes weather observations from monitoring locations throughout the state. New Jersey American Water provided space at its water treatment facility to ensure a secure location for the equipment’s installation and operation.
Through the network’s online data portal, the public can access current and historical weather information from the Franklin Township station, including temperature, dew point, relative humidity, barometric pressure, precipitation, wind speed and wind direction. Observations are available in five-minute, hourly and daily intervals.
“We are thrilled to be completing work on this new weather station in Franklin Township,” said New Jersey State Climatologist Dr. John Krasting. “Through the coordination among Rutgers and New Jersey American Water, this new station expands our capability to monitor real-time weather conditions in Central New Jersey. While the data will be invaluable to our office, the real winners are local residents, who will now have state-of-the-art observations from their own community informing everything from severe weather warnings to decisions about their daily lives.”
The Rutgers New Jersey Weather Network provides localized weather information that supports forecasting, climate monitoring and other weather-related applications. By expanding the network into Franklin Township, researchers and the public will have access to additional observations that can help track changing weather conditions and identify regional climate patterns.
In addition to supporting the weather station, the $25,000 grant funded the development of an educational lesson focused on regional weather and climate data, including information collected at the new Franklin Township location.
The curriculum is designed for middle and high school students and allows teachers to incorporate actual weather observations into classroom lessons. The educational resource is available at no cost through the New Jersey State Climate Office and focuses on helping students understand local weather conditions and long-term climate patterns.
“Reliable local weather information plays an important role in how communities prepare for changing conditions and plan for the future,” said Mark McDonough, President of New Jersey American Water. “We’re proud to support Rutgers University’s work to expand access to high-quality weather and climate data through this new station in Franklin Township. The project reflects our commitment to investing in innovative partnerships that advance education, environmental stewardship and community resilience across New Jersey.”
The project was funded through the American Water Charitable Foundation’s State Strategic Impact grant program, which supports community initiatives involving water, people and communities. The grants are part of the foundation’s broader Keep Communities Flowing Grant Program, which funds projects across American Water’s service areas nationwide.
“We are pleased to see the positive impact this grant is having in communities across New Jersey,” said Carrie Williams, President, American Water Charitable Foundation. “We were proud to support Rutgers University through a State Strategic Impact grant and are excited to see this project deliver valuable weather data, strengthen community resilience and create new learning opportunities for students across New Jersey.”
Officials said the completed weather station will provide ongoing access to localized weather observations while supporting scientific research, public safety planning and classroom instruction.
Current weather conditions and historical observations from the new station can be viewed on the Rutgers New Jersey Weather Network’s Franklin Township webpage.
The free educational curriculum is also available through the New Jersey State Climate Office’s education resources website.
