Alabama Power has installed new equipment in Birmingham to help the Baron Critical Weather Institute (BCWI) expand the collection and analysis of real-time weather data in Alabama.

The view from the new camera on March 25, 2021. (contributed)

A BCWI weather sensor and webcam was recently installed atop Alabama Power’s corporate headquarters in downtown Birmingham. BCWI says data and video from the equipment will be sent continuously to BCWI for integration into its mesonet, a high-density weather network it uses to improve public safety through advanced data analysis.

A similar package was installed Jan. 13 at Alabama Power’s facility on Fourth Street in downtown Tuscaloosa as part of a new pilot project between Alabama Power and BCWI to improve weather-related decisions by citizens, first responders and government agencies. To see weather data and video from the BCWI mesonet, visit baroninstitute.com and click on “View Map” or download the free Alabama SAF-T-Net on your smartphone.