Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) Director Randy Padfield joined officials from Greencastle-Antrim School District, Penn State University, National Weather Service, and state legislators to showcase collaborative efforts to update and enhance the Pennsylvania Integrated Flood Warning and Observation System (IFLOWS 2.0). The IFLOWS 2.0 provides real-time weather information and alerting tools to emergency managers, meteorologists, and the public at sites across the Commonwealth through the Keystone Mesonet.

The IFLOWS 2.0 system upgrade project is being completed through a partnership with Penn State University. A total of 30 new weather stations will be installed across the Commonwealth through August 2026, with most being placed on school properties. The network upgrade will better supply the National Weather Service and emergency managers with the information they need to keep the public safe from severe weather and flooding through early alerting.

Additionally, a team from Greencastle-Antrim School District continues to develop a state standard-based K-12 weather curriculum with Penn State University, which is free for use by public, private, charter, and homeschool educators across the Commonwealth. The new K-12 curriculum uses the weather data from the IFLOWS 2.0 system as part of the PEMN run by Penn State University to teach concepts in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) with real-world applications.

Since many of the weather stations are installed on school district properties, students and staff can physically see the equipment that gathers the weather data they will use in their classroom. Students will further understand how the data they are using ties to their local weather patterns.

“Providing students with access to hands-on educational experiences with real-world applications enables them to take their learning from classroom to career—and in this case, from classroom to community,” said Acting Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe. “This unique program uses collaboration and partnership to assist forecasters and emergency responders; keep Pennsylvanians safe; and create meaningful, engaging learning opportunities for students across the Commonwealth.”

Click here to view the press release.