Real-time local weather and forecasts are now available for Mansfield via a new service on council’s website. The service is powered by a new, council-operated weather station measuring actual conditions in Mansfield. The closest Bureau of Meteorology station is located at the Eildon Fire Tower, approximately 28 kilometres away and at a significantly different altitude. Council’s service means anyone can now get accurate local data for Mansfield. Mayor Cr Steve Rabie said the new weather station and webpage would provide a valuable, long-awaited service for the entire community. "It’s pretty well known that the Eildon-based weather reports aren’t always the same as the weather we're experiencing in Mansfield," he said. "Having our own dedicated station means our farmers, event organisers, sporting clubs, and residents can access real-time data and forecasts that are truly local. "This is useful, practical information that helps people plan their work and their day," said Cr Rabie. The new solar-powered station is equipped with sensors measuring wind speed and direction, rainfall, temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, and UV radiation. To make this data publicly accessible, council partnered with Jane’s Weather to launch a dedicated local weather webpage. The platform provides real-time conditions, daily summaries, historical data, and leverages artificial intelligence to offer local 8-day forecasts tailored specifically for Mansfield. “The Jane’s Weather AI Forecast learns from conditions that are actually occurring in Mansfield, ensuring that the projections know the unique nuances of the weather in this beautiful part of the world, and can forecast with those top of mind. "We also provide handy at-a-glance indicators to transform a mountain of data into a decision making tool for your business or farm,” said Jane Bunn, founder of Jane’s Weather. While the new data source provides specific information for the Mansfield township, the Bureau of Meteorology’s official forecasts and warnings for the broader region remain a critical tool. The Bureau is not currently able to integrate single, third-party stations into its network. Cr Rabie said the new local service would complement the broader-scale work of the Bureau. "The local weather service means our community has both options available: accurate, real-time local conditions and the wide-ranging forecasts and warnings from our national weather service,” he said. To view the new Mansfield weather webpage, visit mansfield.vic.gov.au/weather
