| Have you ever started a conversation with a | | | | You can expect a lot more. Most weather |
| comment about the weather? | | | | stations offer a range of calculated functions such |
| Has an unexpected weather change created | | | | as relative humidity, dewpoint, heat index and |
| havoc in your garden, pond or aviary, or even | | | | wind chill factor, depending on which sensors are |
| damaged your home? | | | | used. Many have a basic forecasting ability, |
| Have you ever noticed that the weather you | | | | correct about three times out of four. Many |
| experienced during your day was different to that | | | | include alarm functions which can be preset at |
| reported by your nearest official weather station? | | | | critical high or low temperatures, high wind speeds |
| Have you ever left home wearing clothing that | | | | etc. Almost all show the time, and many of the |
| was too warm or cool for the day's weather? | | | | simpler ones can double as an alarm clock - |
| Or would you just like to know a little more about | | | | imagine being woken in the morning with the |
| your local weather than you can find out from | | | | console showing both the time and the outside |
| TV or the internet? | | | | temperature. |
| A "yes" answer to any of those questions | | | | 6. Can I connect my weather station to my |
| suggests that you could benefit from owning your | | | | computer? |
| own home weather station. | | | | In most cases, yes. In fact many of the better |
| Now is a great time to get a weather station of | | | | weather stations include software allowing easy |
| your own. Recent improvements mean they have | | | | connection. A wide range of commercial weather |
| never before been so powerful, so easy to use | | | | software is compatible with most weather station |
| and install, or so well priced. | | | | models. |
| I'm sure you'd like to know more, so here are | | | | Take it a step further and you can even link your |
| some answers to the seven most commonly | | | | weather station with automatic heating and |
| asked questions about home weather stations: | | | | watering systems (and much more). Imagine the |
| 1. What is a Home Weather Station? | | | | savings in water use if your irrigation system was |
| A modern home weather station consists of one | | | | controlled by something a little smarter than a |
| or more sensors which collect data on | | | | timer. |
| temperature, humidity, air pressure, rainfall, and | | | | 7. What other uses could a home weather station |
| wind direction and speed from around your home. | | | | have? |
| This information is transferred to a receiver | | | | I've mentioned a number of uses in the answers |
| display console located in the comfort of your | | | | above, but a home weather station can help out |
| home, and updated frequently. The cost and | | | | anywhere that wind, rainfall or temperature data |
| usefulness rises with the number of sensors used. | | | | is useful. Most stations will handle several |
| 2. A friend had a weather station and there were | | | | temperature sensors - you could check soil |
| cables everywhere. Why would I want that? | | | | temperature to help guide you with spring or fall |
| No problems there. Older home weather stations | | | | plantings, pool temperatures, or even |
| sent data along thin cables, but you will have no | | | | temperatures in a baby's nursery inside your |
| difficulty in finding suitable units which use radio to | | | | home. |
| transmit the weather information, over effective | | | | Or you could run a very simple system |
| ranges of 330 feet or more. No wires, no holes in | | | | monitoring temperatures in an outdoor aviary or |
| the roof or wall. | | | | greenhouse. |
| 3. How difficult are they to set up? | | | | On a different track, you can upload your data to |
| With a little preplanning, it takes little time or | | | | a web page - many people do - or contribute to |
| effort to get a home weather station up and | | | | the overall USA weather picture by sending your |
| running. Once you have chosen the positions for | | | | information to CWOP (Citizen Weather Observer |
| the sensors and receiver, and checked that they | | | | Program) |
| are in contact with each other, all you need is | | | | There are so many ways to benefit from a |
| some very basic ability with a drill and | | | | home weather station. But to my mind, I've left |
| screwdriver. | | | | the best to last. |
| 4. How reliable are home weather stations, and | | | | By observing the weather around your home, |
| what do they cost? | | | | you are opening up a much wider field - the |
| Home weather stations vary from a simple | | | | enjoyment of the natural world. |
| temperature recorder to multi sensor arrays. | | | | As you see patterns develop in the information |
| Costs start from less than US$30 for the | | | | you have collected, you'll start to appreciate the |
| simplest models with a single sensor, up to around | | | | weather maps, weather warnings, satellite images, |
| $5-600 for a quality home weather center. More | | | | radar and forecasts more. You'll find yourself |
| specialized units, designed more for commercial | | | | watching the clouds, and how they change with |
| and agricultural uses, run up to $3,000. As in most | | | | variations in air pressure or wind direction, and |
| things, you get what you pay for, and you can | | | | you may even improve on the official forecasts. |
| expect a $500 model to be stronger and more | | | | And overall you'll find yourself paying more |
| reliable than something from the lower end of the | | | | attention to the world outside - not just the sky, |
| price range. | | | | wind and clouds but all other aspects of the |
| Nevertheless, with a little bit of preparation and | | | | natural world. |
| maintenance, you can expect the cheaper models | | | | So if you can see a need for a home weather |
| to give good consistent service. | | | | station, go ahead and get one that suits you - |
| Much more information can be found at | | | | you'll find a link to a helpful website just below the |
| 5. Will I just see raw weather data, or can I | | | | end of this article. But don't be surprised if your |
| expect more? | | | | horizons expand well beyond your own backyard. |