Farmers got some high-tech information during last weekend’s cold snap. A statewide, automated weather network helped growers avoid crop losses. The weather reporting system is called FAWN. Every 15 minutes, special weather computers around the state calculate temperatures, winds and other climate information. The 33 high-tech stations are linked to the University of Florida in Gainesville and then the data are put on the Internet. Farmers use the free information to protect their crops this time of year from freezing weather. System administrator Larry Treadaway says the information is available around the clock.

“You’ve got to have the right information in order to prevent losses. You’ve got to know how cold it is and you’ve got to know how long it stays cold.”

Treadaway says the reporting network saves growers about 38-million dollars annually. There are reporting stations in Arcadia and Immokalee.