Popular weather presenter Jane Bunn reads the weather and, importantly, she understands it.
Her inside knowledge is now helping farmers on the Darling Downs master the skies above.
Receiving accurate, localised forecasts has long been difficult with farmers often forced to decipher the outlook from multiple weather sites and apps.
But, to quote Bob Dylon ’The times they are a-changin’ thanks to Ms Bunn’s new advanced weather forecast system specifically designed with the agricultural sector in mind.
Jane’s Weather PRO can help farmers mitigate risk and take advantage of the weather by harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to unlock weather insights and steer decisions around frost, spraying, irrigation and growth.
The tech was developed by Ms Bunn, a meteorologist and 7NEWS Melbourne weather presenter who was among the innovators showcasing their creations at the Agtech and Logistics Hub’s 2023 GroundUp Agtech Showcase Day.
The event provided valuable industry connections and feedback and, since then, Ms Bunn has further progressed her advanced
weather forecasting system by utilising AI and machine learning.
With Jane’s Weather PRO officially released in May, the Agtech and Logistics Hub is introducing Jane’s Weather team to farmers in the Darling Downs region who can access hyper-local forecasting with hourly predictions.
Josh Cross of Jane’s Weather said the Darling Downs region had traditionally relied on generic guidance from the Bureau of Meteorology and various other sources.
“In the Darling Downs, we can offer farmers a more accurate and localised forecast than what they’ve been used to,” Mr Cross said.
“Jane’s Weather has created a single source of truth.
“No more deciphering your outlook from multiple weather sites and apps, this cutting-edge technology combines all the guidance and learns your specific microclimate, so the latest in AI can provide the best outlook – for your actual farm.
“It can even be set up to consider observations from on-farm weather stations.”
Jane’s Weather PRO also allows users to set custom threshold weather alerts relevant to their operations, enabling better planning and decision-making around crop and pasture management.
While developing the PRO system, Jane’s Weather tested its usability and accuracy with several major agribusinesses, including growers and spray contractors.
Mr Cross said farmers could use Jane’s Weather to identify ideal spraying windows, determine optimal fertiliser timing, prioritise sowing orders, better manage water resources, improve logistics planning at harvest to maximise yields and more.
“The system empowers farmers with informed decision-making capabilities, providing accurate, hyper-local and hourly weather forecasting crucial to their operations,” he said.
Mulgowie Fresh Agronomy manager Andrew Johanson said the technology had significant potential.
“Having access to accurate, site-specific weather information will enable growers to make timely decisions that can positively impact our crop yield and quality,“ he said.
“This is a major advancement for the horticulture industry and it’s exciting to be a part of it.“
Agtech and Logistics Hub manager Owen Williams said the agricultural sector could benefit greatly from more accurate and local weather forecasts.
“Weather plays such a critical role in producing high-quality crops and livestock, so it’s great to see an Australian-founded technology focused on improving localised forecasts and providing tailored weather insights,” he said.
“We look forward to seeing Jane’s Weather continue its innovation journey and mission to get their tech into the hands of farmers.”
