Last updated on April 25th, 2023 at 05:13 am
If you’re into gardening or just want to know the weather outside before heading out the door, a home weather station may be for you. Not only can these stations detect precipitation and wind speed, but they also measure temperature and humidity levels in your area.
Climate change is changing worldwide, and everyone needs to understand how their region will be affected. With a home weather station gathering data around-the-clock in your backyard or on your deck, you’ll have an accurate report of when rain is coming or snow so that you can plan accordingly. Nowadays, there are even models powered by the sun, with cellular connectivity.
Factors to consider when buying a home weather station
Before you start scrolling on Amazon for that new home weather station you’ve wanted for so long, there are a few factors you should be aware of before making a decision.
Home weather stations come in many different shapes and sizes but range in price from $30 – $500. How much you’re willing to pay will depend on what features.
Many home weather stations come with additional options like lightning detection; wind chill factor measurements, UV index, and dew point calculators that can all be very useful when deciding which station.
Be sure and read the different weather station reviews on Amazon or Google to see what others think. Sometimes it’s hard to weed out the fluff, but still worth the time. WXforum is also an excellent resource. All of these resources will help you decide the best automatic weather station for your needs.
Accuracy and reporting frequency
Accuracy depends on many factors, like how far away your home weather station sensors are from the weather station display unit. How many walls or obstacles are between the two, and how often do home weather reports updates data. These factors can directly affect the transmission range.
Calibration of the home weather station should by using accurate government sources for information, such as the daily weather report. Ensures that home weather reports will always stay 100% accurate and up-to-date with reports from official home weather stations.
However, virtually all personal home weather stations require little to no setup or calibration, making them easy to get started right out of the box. In addition, wireless weather stations are equipped with wireless connectivity so that daily reports can be uploaded wirelessly from indoor and outdoor sensors directly to your home wireless network.
Some units can stream this weather data through the internet via home weather station wifi. The wireless weather station information is stored online, recording data in a secure personal web account that you can access 24/7 from any computer or wireless device.
Some wireless home weather stations allow multiple wireless sensors to place around your outdoor areas near your garden, pool, greenhouse, and other areas. That’s pretty cool because wireless sensors are cheap; some wireless weather stations even include wireless rain gauges at no extra cost.
Many wireless home weather stations also allow you to configure alerts that will inform you when rainfall or high wind speeds are expected.
The best weather stations can also monitor outdoor conditions that may affect our comfort – like the presence of UV rays. By measuring ultraviolet light levels, you know when to pack the sunscreen and shades when you’re planning a day at the park.
Personal home weather station upgrade sensor options
For that weather junkie who needs to know their surroundings at all times, a wireless home weather station is perfect for monitoring conditions from anywhere!
Depending on what you want to monitor, you can upgrade your personal weather stations with different sensors, from wind speed and direction to rainfall, barometric pressure, UV levels, or soil moisture level.
Depending on if the model supports it, weather sensors can measure the following;
- wind speed
- wind direction
- indoor and outdoor temperature
- humidity readings
- rain gauge
- UV index – direct sunlight
- Soil moisture level
- solar radiation – great for
solar power homes - lightning
- barometric pressure
- Thermo-hygrometer
- Air-Quality
As you can see, just about everything you could want to monitor in your area is available, and the best-rated weather station can also be used both indoors and outdoors.
- LCD Display
- Easy to Install Sensor Osprey
- Wireless Sensors
- Internet Connection with Weather Networks
- Solar Powered Backup Battery
- Both Indoor and Outdoor Temperatures
- Weather Forecast
- 300' line of sight RF
- Limited by walls, metal, the distance of sensors
- Internet drops
Transmission distance
Although personal weather stations transmit data from a sensor to a display, it is important to note that transmission length will vary depending on environmental factors. Factors such as walls, obstacles, and distance from the sensor to the LCD display contribute to transmission length.
Transmission length also varies depending on the home weather station used. Standard personal weather stations transmit up to 300 feet away from the sensor to get the most accurate readings, but exceptions may occur.
The bottom line, plan your installation ahead of time; for example, if you are placing an outdoor sensor to monitor temperature near your garden, plan accordingly. Make sure that the environment around the sensor is clear of any obstacles or large objects that may interfere with transmission distance – remember that environmental factors will affect the length as well.
Internet connectivity and smart home features
Experience the ease of having your own weather trends with you wherever you go using a computer, tablet, or phone’s weather app. In addition to Wunderground, the weather station also supports uploads to WeatherCloud.
Several home weather station models offer the ability to connect the system to popular apps like AmbientWeather.net, Wunderground, meaning that you can monitor your personal weather station data from anywhere – no matter where you are. You just need to have an internet connection or be within range of wi-fi geolocation.
By connecting the weather station to an app on your smartphone, you can share your real-time data worldwide with family and friends. Also, the cool thing about connecting to these apps they will store your historical weather data in a personal secure cloud account that you can access 24/7 from any computer or wireless device.
Connection to virtual assistance like Amazon Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT is also possible. That means you can control your system from afar with simple voice commands.
Alexia, “what’s the outside temperature right now?” “What is the humidity in the house?” all information at your specific location.
How cool is that?
Your budget
There is no doubt that a home weather station can accommodate different styles and budgets. How much you want to spend will affect the type and number of sensors that your personal weather station may have.
Check out my home weather station reviews in this blog post to get a feel of units to consider purchasing.
Keep in mind that a wireless home weather station can support many different types of wireless sensors-upgrading is easy! For example, you can purchase one unit with an indoor temperature sensor, then add more sensors later if needed.
I recommend figuring out which sensors you want to monitor most and choosing the best electronic weather station that supports those sensors. In most cases, if you purchase a basic station, it will come with an indoor temperature sensor and UV index reader. Still, not all models have the ability to add additional wireless sensors. Just like not all monitors give you the best bang for your dollars.
If you are going to be monitoring your environment from multiple angles – for example – wind speed, wind direction, and a larger budget are recommended if you want the extra bells.
One of the most important features to look for is rain gauge support.
Most inexpensive weather stations for home models do not offer this feature, but it can be a critical factor when measuring rainfall data. This blog post goes in-depth on a highly accurate rain gauge without all the bells and whistles.
Conclusion
If you consider purchasing a home weather station, there are many factors to consider. It would be best to think about what features your current, or the desired device has to meet your needs.
For example, suppose you want accurate and frequent weather reporting at different parts of your property. In that case, an upgraded sensor may be for the best coverage possible. Or maybe internet connectivity is crucial so you can keep up with forecasted highs before leaving work on Friday evening?
Some cheaper options are user-friendly available now, which don’t have all these bells and whistles but still provide good primary data about temperature changes outside. Your budget will likely dictate how much money you spend because this purchase isn’t one to take lightly!
FAQ
Where should I put my outdoor weather sensor?
If you want to measure the weather conditions outside, you should place the sensor in an area that is exposed to the open air. Most home weather stations come with a radiation shield for placing in direct sun. Placing the sensor in an area with good airflow ensures accurate readings.
How much does a personal weather station cost?
A good quality home weather station range from $80-$450 depending on the number of sensors. Most weather stations will come bundled and will measure temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and barometer. High-end stations can detect soil moisture, lightning, and air quality but will add to costs and may not be needed for every install.
What limitations are there in using a weather station?
Aside from the loss of the internet for recording data. Home weather stations still depend on electricity for console operations. Some models have battery backups for retaining data but might not give you real-time conditions if power is out during storms. Check model specifics for functionality if the grid is down.
