diff --git a/config/environments/development.rb b/config/environments/development.rb
index 2d28df12..52107cc6 100644
--- a/config/environments/development.rb
+++ b/config/environments/development.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,14 @@
 Rails.application.configure do
   # Settings specified here will take precedence over those in config/application.rb.
 
+  # Logging configuration
+  require "dev_logger"
+  config.log_formatter = DevLogger.new("soils-ag-wx")
+  config.log_level = :debug
+
+  # Log error messages when you accidentally call methods on nil.
+  config.whiny_nils = true
+
   # In the development environment your application's code is reloaded any time
   # it changes. This slows down response time but is perfect for development
   # since you don't have to restart the web server when you make code changes.
@@ -38,10 +46,7 @@
 
   # Don't care if the mailer can't send.
   config.action_mailer.raise_delivery_errors = false
-
   config.action_mailer.perform_caching = false
-
-  # Letter opener config
   config.action_mailer.delivery_method = :letter_opener
   config.action_mailer.default_url_options = {host: "localhost:3000"}
 
diff --git a/config/environments/production.rb b/config/environments/production.rb
index 8e007510..177e362d 100644
--- a/config/environments/production.rb
+++ b/config/environments/production.rb
@@ -70,18 +70,13 @@
   # Force all access to the app over SSL, use Strict-Transport-Security, and use secure cookies.
   # config.force_ssl = true
 
-  # Log to STDOUT by default
-  config.logger = ActiveSupport::Logger.new($stdout)
-    .tap { |logger| logger.formatter = ::Logger::Formatter.new }
-    .then { |logger| ActiveSupport::TaggedLogging.new(logger) }
-
   # Prepend all log lines with the following tags.
   config.log_tags = [:request_id]
 
   # Info include generic and useful information about system operation, but avoids logging too much
   # information to avoid inadvertent exposure of personally identifiable information (PII). If you
   # want to log everything, set the level to "debug".
-  config.log_level = ENV.fetch("RAILS_LOG_LEVEL", "info")
+  config.log_level = :info
 
   # Use a different cache store in production.
   # config.cache_store = :mem_cache_store
diff --git a/config/environments/staging.rb b/config/environments/staging.rb
index e3c154f5..fb51eacb 100644
--- a/config/environments/staging.rb
+++ b/config/environments/staging.rb
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-# Just use the production settings
+# Load production defaults
 require File.expand_path("../production.rb", __FILE__)
 
-# Overwrite production defaults
+# Staging settings
 Rails.application.configure do
   config.action_mailer.default_url_options = {
     host: ENV["AG_WEATHER_HOST"] || "dev.agweather.cals.wisc.edu",
     protocol: "https"
   }
+  config.log_level = :debug
 end
diff --git a/lib/dev_logger.rb b/lib/dev_logger.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bdede139
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/dev_logger.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+# custom color-coded logging
+class DevLogger < Logger::Formatter
+  PAL = {
+    black: "\u001b[30m",
+    red: "\u001b[31m",
+    green: "\u001b[32m",
+    yellow: "\u001b[33m",
+    blue: "\u001b[34m",
+    magenta: "\u001b[35m",
+    cyan: "\u001b[36m",
+    white: "\u001b[37m",
+    reset: "\u001b[0m"
+  }
+
+  SEV = {
+    debug: "DBG",
+    info: "NFO",
+    warn: "WRN",
+    error: "ERR",
+    fatal: "FTL",
+    unknown: "UNK"
+  }
+
+  CLR = {
+    debug: PAL[:green],
+    info: PAL[:white],
+    warn: PAL[:yellow],
+    error: PAL[:red],
+    fatal: PAL[:red]
+  }
+
+  def initialize(app_name = "dev")
+    @app = app_name
+  end
+
+  def call(severity, time, progname, msg)
+    sev = severity.to_sym.downcase
+    msg = msg&.truncate(500, omission: "...")
+    "#{CLR[sev]}[#{@app} #{SEV[sev]}] #{msg}#{PAL[:reset]}\n"
+  end
+end