The Best Weather Station

Buying Guide

If you’ve ever seen rain gauges in a person’s yard, you probably know that tracking weather trends is a popular hobby. Today, we have access to all the data we could ever want online, but there’s still no replacement for gathering the data yourself.

Along with technology, weather data collection has gotten more sophisticated with time. Today’s weather stations use sensors and display screens to provide real-time information about the weather in your area. Some even use advanced analytics to help you make sense of the information you’re gathering.

If you’re choosing a weather station, you first need to decide the information you hope to monitor. Some units gather data on everything from wind direction to barometric pressure. You’ll also find some weather stations monitor temperature information both inside your home and outside to help you collect important indoor information like humidity levels.

When you start shopping, you may wonder why some weather stations are so affordable, while others hit the top of your budget. It’s important to pay close attention to the features those more expensive models offer that you can’t get with a cheaper one. You’ll also notice that some less expensive weather stations require you to buy additional sensors to get the most out of the unit.

Smartphone compatibility is an add-on that will matter to some of today’s consumers. Having your weather station connected to your mobile device can be useful if you want to keep track of weather back home while you’re on the road. Some weather stations can also be controlled by Alexa, which is a consideration if you have a smart speaker in your home.

Lastly, it’s important to find a weather station that will remain connected and reliable when you need it most. Make sure you won’t later discover that you can’t get the information you need as a major storm surrounds your house due to a drop in transmission. Since many weather stations rely on your home Wi-Fi, it’s also important to consider whether your Wi-Fi remains up and stable during storms before investing in a weather station.

• Before technology transformed weather collection tools, you were limited in what you could learn. Today’s weather stations build in all the hardware you need to gather information on the weather that will impact you. There are still some features that set one weather station apart from another.
• Chances are, you want more detail than what you can see by looking out your own window. The Ambient Weather WiFi Smart Weather Station has instruments that measure temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, UV and solar radiation and rainfall.
• For data on both your indoor and outdoor environment, consider the Newentor Digital Atomic Weather Station. This unit will help you monitor what’s going on inside your home, as well as outside.
• Weather stations can vary dramatically in their sensitivity, so keep that in mind when comparing prices.
• You’ll find prices vary dramatically from one weather station to another, depending on the features offered with the weather station.
• When considering cost, it’s important to note what each model comes with. Some more expensive models ship with everything you need to get started, whereas others require you to make additional purchases.
• Check to see what is included with your weather station. Some units come with a 5V DC adapter, while others are powered by the sun. If your station uses batteries, they may or may not be included.
• Keep in mind that some weather stations have more basic features that are best used indoors, such as an alarm clock and date and time displays.
• Some lower-priced weather stations ship with three sensors. Their console can read up to eight different locations, but you’ll need to buy five additional sensors to do so.  Each additional sensor is available for an affordable price.
• The reach of your weather station is also worth noting. The Ambient Weather WiFi Smart Weather Station has a reach of 100 feet to each sensor.
• Weather stations are meant to monitor weather, so it won’t be much help if your connectivity drops when storms are brewing outside.
• Look for a weather station with a bright display that provides information in an easy to read format. Some have attractive backlights that not only improve readable, but their also voice-activated.
• Smartphone compatibility is also a consideration. The AcuRite Wireless 5-1 Sensor Home Weather Station connects to your favorite mobile device, which means you can get weather information from home even when you’re away.