Weather Stations
Weather stations are weather instruments that collect data related to the weather and environment. They measure the atmospheric pressure (barometric pressure) which is the air pressure that is all around us. In general, when the pressure falls the weather is going to get bad, when it rises the weather will improve. Some have alarms which you can set for when the temperature drops to below freezing or when it becomes too hot.
Depending on the type of weather station, for example basic to professional complete sets, they use different sensors for measuring weather conditions for:
- Temperature – both indoor temperature and outdoor temperature
- Atmospheric pressure
- Humidity
- Wind direction and wind speed
- Moon phases
- Solar radiation
- Dew point and rainfall
What can you use weather stations for?
Frequently used for accurate measurement of current weather conditions for certain areas. The information gathered can be stored and displayed for further studies and analysis/projects. They can be used for various tasks such as monitoring greenhouses and ensure safe environment for pets e.g. reptile tank not too hot or cold. Predict dangerous weather approaching so areas can be evacuated if hurricanes and floods are expected and for planning outside events.
Types of weather stations
- Home weather station – personal weather stations provides you with real-time weather data for right outside and inside your house
- Wireless weather station – use sensors to collect weather station data and transmit the data back to the base unit using radio frequency, many will connect to a PC or directly to the internet
- Barometers - Most are now digital. They can store and measure a great amount of data. Many are multifunction devices with the ability to provide humidity readings, or are integrated within consumer weather stations. Calibrated ones can also be used to measure altitude, using the principle that the higher the altitude is, the lower the pressure is. These particular instruments are sometimes referred to as 'barometric altimeters', or more simply, just 'altimeters' and tend to be portable.
- Complete weather stations - come with many upgrade options and have additional external units to measure.
Applications include:
- Education
- Hobbyist
- Gardeners
- Agriculture – farms and vineyards
- Construction companies
- Aircraft and shipping