[Vineyard & Winery Elf EN](https://help.vineyardelf.com/index.md) / [VineyardElf](https://help.vineyardelf.com/vineyardelf.md)

# [Alerts and Notifications - Frost, Diseases, Monitoring](https://help.vineyardelf.com/alerts-and-notifications-frost-diseases-monitoring.md)

## How do alerts work?

VineyardElf and WineryElf automatically monitor conditions and send notifications when they detect a threat. The system checks data every few hours and sends an alert at most once every 12 hours for the same type of threat.

## Types of alerts

### 1. Frost alerts (VineyardElf)

The system analyzes the weather forecast for the next 48 hours. When the predicted temperature drops below the set threshold, you receive a notification.

**Default threshold:** 2°C

**What the alert contains:**
- When frost is expected (tonight/tomorrow night)
- Predicted minimum temperature
- Plant protection recommendations

### 2. Disease alerts (VineyardElf)

The system calculates the risk of 4 major grapevine diseases based on weather data from the last 7-14 days:

| Disease | Model | Key conditions |
|---------|-------|------------------|
| **Downy mildew** | Mills Rule 10:10:24 | ≥10mm rain + ≥10°C + 24h |
| **Powdery mildew** | Gübler-Thomas | 20-25°C + humidity >40% + NO rain |
| **Black rot** | Cornell Spotts | Leaf wetness ≥6h + 15-27°C |
| **Botrytis (gray mold)** | IFV/UC Davis | Humidity >90% for ≥12h |

**Default threshold:** 70% risk

**What the alert contains:**
- Disease name and risk percentage
- Calculation model used
- Recommended fungicides and spraying timing

### 3. Winery monitoring (WineryElf)

Monitoring of temperature and humidity in the winery via Shelly sensors. Alerts are sent when:
- Temperature exceeds the set range
- Humidity moves outside the normal range

## Notification channels

| Channel | Status | Requirements |
|-------|--------|------------|
| **Email** | ✅ Ready | Provide an email address |
| **SMS** | ✅ Ready | Configure an SMS connector |
| **WhatsApp** | 🟡 Beta | Configure a Twilio connector |

## How to configure alerts?

### Step 1: Open alert settings

VineyardElf menu → **🔔 Alerts**

### Step 2: Enter contact details

- **Email** - main channel (always recommended)
- **Phone** - for SMS (international format, e.g. +1234567890)
- **WhatsApp** - optional (same number as SMS)

### Step 3: Configure frost alerts

1. Turn on the **Frost alerts** toggle
2. Set the **temperature threshold** (default 2°C)
3. Choose channels: Email / SMS / WhatsApp

### Step 4: Configure disease alerts

1. Turn on the **Disease alerts** toggle
2. Set the **risk threshold** (default 70%)
3. Choose notification channels

## Example email alert

**Frost alert:**
```
❄️ WARNING - Vineyard

Tomorrow night: min. 1.5°C
Alert threshold: 2.0°C

Recommendation: Consider activating your 
frost protection system or covering 
sensitive plants.

[Open VineyardElf →]
```

**Disease alert:**
```
🦠 DISEASE ALERT - Vineyard

• Downy mildew: 82% (HIGH)
  Model: Mills Rule 10:10:24
  
• Powdery mildew: 45% (MEDIUM)
  Model: Gübler-Thomas

[Open VineyardElf →]
```

## Tips

- **A frost threshold of 2°C** is safe - it gives you time to react
- **A disease threshold of 70%** is a good compromise between vigilance and the number of alerts
- If you get too many alerts, raise the thresholds
- If you get too few, lower the thresholds or check your contact details
- An alert is sent **once every 12 hours** for the same threat

## Technical requirements

- **Weather forecast:** A configured OpenMeteo connector
- **SMS:** An active SMS connector with credits
- **WhatsApp:** A configured Twilio connector (beta)
- **Winery monitoring:** Shelly devices connected to the system