What is the purpose of a weather station?

What is a weather station?

A set of sensors providing valuable information

A weather station is also called a weather station, weather park, or weather shelter. It is a measuring device, consisting of different sensors and fulfilling different functions.

While there are massive, highly sophisticated ones used by national meteorological services, some are dedicated to the general public. A weather station can act as a thermometer, clock, sound level meter, hygrometer, anemometer, barometer, etc. in the home barometer, it can also provide information on air quality, moon phase, or indoor pollution levels. Everything you need to get your own weather forecast!

The use of weather stations in private homes has become more widespread in recent years. It has become a fashionable object (especially the connected weather station, the flagship of IoT, and connected objects).

Why (and for whom) is a weather station useful?

Gardeners, farmers, sailors, navigators, hikers, mountain bikers, carpenters, labourers… anyone who needs accurate weather information can benefit greatly from a weather station. Or even for a person who just wants to know if the weather will be bad or if they do not want o miss out on the sunshine!

But that's not all: many weather stations also provide data related to the atmosphere inside the house, such as air quality, indoor air pollution humidity, and temperature.

So, why use a weather station at home? It's simple, to better predict the weather and to analyse the quality of the atmosphere at home. This makes it possible to control the interior environment of the house, but also to better anticipate the exterior environment and climatic hazards.
Now let's get into the details of the functions of a weather station.

What are the functions of a weather station?

Wind, pressure, temperature, humidity levels, weather forecasts, atmospheric quality… what does a weather station measure?

The variables that a weather station measures depend on the individual station. More importantly, they can be divided into two broad categories: variables in the external environment (such as weather) and those in the internal environment (such as air quality).

Let's start with the external variables:

• The outside temperature;
• Atmospheric pressure;
• Wind speed and direction;
• Rain gauge;
• Hygrometer (humidity level);
• Precipitation forecasts;
• The height and type of clouds;
• The dew point;
• Visibility.

Now let's move on to the variables inside the house:

• Time;
• Indoor temperature;
• The indoor humidity level;
• Air quality;
• The level of pollution (especially NO2, CO2, fine particles);
• The noise level.

Combining these data gives you the power to act on them by regulating them. Using a weather station to make these measurements is the first step, but the real question is what you will do with it.
As mentioned, there is not just one type of weather station. There are many of them!

What are the different types of weather stations and how do I choose?

Wired or wireless, connected or not, with or without a display, with one function or another… there is no single model of weather station.

Note that we are talking about home (or business but commercially available) weather stations here and not professional models.

So first of all, to choose your ideal weather station, you need to define the use you will have of it. Why do you need a weather station? To improve your air quality at home? For sailing? For gardeners? To farm? For reliable weather information? All of the above?

The more you depend on the weather, the more important it is that you can predict it accurately. The more sensitive the people in your home are to air pollution, the more important it is to maintain good indoor air quality. So which weather station is right for you?
There are 2 main types of weather stations: the classic weather station with sensors and the connected weather station or smart weather station.

The classic weather station (with sensors)

This is the entry-level weather station model. Efficient but limited, it uses sensors to provide the collected data on a screen. The display remains in real-time despite a very affordable price.

The connected weather station

The connected weather station is the most advanced and is a truly connected object. It also uses sensors to collect real-time data from the screen, but in addition, it transmits this information to your smartphone or tablet. Using wifi, the connected weather station also provides data directly from your national meteorological services.
It is a more complete, more precise, and more practical device… but more expensive. However, for effective data measurement both inside and outside the home, and to get an accurate weather forecast this is still the best solution.
You now know everything about the weather station: what it is, its functions and its different variations. All you have to do is assess your needs, compare the offers and choose the product that meets all your requirements!