Innovative agronomy tools and resources: Weather

Nicolle Ritchie<ritchi67@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension - June 09, 2026

Innovation and adaptability are important for farm success. Explore these free tools and resources on weather forecasting and crop management.

Close-up view of raindrops covering a window, with a blurred agricultural field and gray overcast sky visible in the background. — Photo by Nicolle Ritchie, MSU Extension

Being able to innovate and adapt is important for farm success, but it can be overwhelming to make changes. A good tool or resource should make your life easier in some way. It might inform decision-making, simplify calculations or analyze and organize data in a practical way. It should be user-friendly, affordable and reliable or trustworthy. The following is a list of free tools and resources on weather forecasting and crop management. It is not an exhaustive list but a starting point.

Weather

The weather is one of the main factors that drives crop yields, and it is unfortunately beyond our control. However, there are ways to mitigate weather-related crop stress, and understanding weather trends can help you predict crop needs. There are various weather resources available, but this section highlights a few that are more specific to Michigan agriculture.

MSU Enviroweather: Available as a website or app. Using a statewide network of weather stations across Michigan, find historical weather information, upcoming forecasts and crop-specific models for insect and disease risks. Users can also link their own weather station to utilize the crop models as well.

Irrigation Online Tools: This resource from Michigan State University Extension includes several irrigation tools and articles, including irrigation scheduling and weekly crop water use reports during the growing season.

Midwest Regional Climate Center: This resource from Purdue University contains data, maps and more on several weather- and climate-related topics in the Midwest. The Corn Growing Degree Day Tool compares current growing degree days to the 30-year average.

An older red barn and adjacent outbuilding sit beside a rural road, surrounded by grass and fields under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. — Photo by Nicolle Ritchie, MSU Extension

Fun!

This bonus tool is a quiz to test your field crop identification skills. Take it yourself and send it to your friends and neighbors to improve agricultural awareness in a fun way.

Field Crops Identification Quiz: Take this quiz to test your field crops identification skills from afar. Focused specifically on field crops in southwest Michigan. Train yourself first with the article “Drive-by crop identification in southwest Michigan” from Michigan State University Extension.