How much do people spend on outdoor weather stations?
Weather stations can be expensive, especially when buying higher-end models. But if you've got some spare cash lying around they can be a fun hobby.
Weather stations: the basics
We've been asked lots of questions about weather stations, and it's fair to say that there are a lot of people out there who either do or want to get their hands on weather stations, not all of whom have the same needs.
Why get a weather station?
Weather stations can be used for a wide range of things, including:
- Predicting the weather
- Monitoring your garden
- Monitoring the weather
- Solar monitoring
Predictive weather station
For those who want to predict the weather, a predictive weather station will give you a rough idea of what the weather will be like. You will know what to expect. For example, a predicted temperature for the next 24 hours, the trend over the next 3 days, and the average temperature over a previous amount of time.
Where do I set up my weather station?
Weather stations will come with a basic set of instructions, but you should always read them carefully before using the weather station.
Generally, you'll be wanting to place the weather station in a place that gets a good amount of sun, but not a lot of wind. You may wish to place the weather station slightly higher than the nearest window if there are any. This will improve the accuracy of the weather station.
How to calculate the accuracy of a weather station
A typical accuracy of a weather station is around 2 °C.
To calculate the accuracy of your weather station you need to consider the following:
- Altitude (m)
- Cloud cover
- Sunlight
- Temperature
What features should I expect from an outdoor weather station?
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Barometric Pressure
- Precipitation
- Wind
- Wind direction
- Lightning
- Sunrise
- Sunset
Does it need to be solar powered?
It's good to have a weather station that is solar powered. If you can get a solar powered weather station, this means that you will be able to keep the weather station on even if you can't get access to a power supply and won't be able to make any changes to the weather station.