Watching the weather on TV can be a solution, but nothing is more accurate than your own home weather station. Simple to use, the latest models are wireless and sometimes connected to your smartphone. But you still have to choose the right brand!
There is a wide range of models on the market designed for all uses, from campers and gardeners to professional farmers and individuals with a limited budget. I offer a complete buying guide starting with the best models depending on the characteristics you are looking for.
What is the best weather station?
With so many options in the market, it is difficult to determine which model exactly suits our needs, that’s why we have prepared a comparative list where we present six excellent options of weather stations, data and accurate information to help you choose the station that best suits your needs.
The first thing to keep in mind when choosing is to make sure you have the support offered by the brands already established in the market, to decipher which brand you can trust it is good to consult the general opinion of the user community, other determining factors They will be the features, desired accessories, affordable price and guarantees.
Weather station Youshiko
It is a weather station manufactured by the Techno Line, this station is equipped with a compact transmitter specially designed to adapt to the outside of your home and light and practical reading screen, with a design where the relevant information is presented weather forecast.
You can configure the station to visualise the information in more than seven languages. It can measure the temperature and humidity both inside and outside of your home, it presents a record and history of the atmospheric pressure of the last 12 hours and comes with an alarm to warn you when the weather has dropped to the point of frost.
It is equipped with an automated clock that you can adjust manually if you prefer, it presents the user with precise information about the lunar phases, the exact time of sunrise and sunset, also, it has two alarms with snooze function and a blue backlight screen.
You will need 2 AA batteries for the operation of the station, while the transmitter requires 2 AAA batteries.
Netatmo NSW01-EC Weather Station
If you are looking for a high-tech option, with an elegant and minimalist design, this weather station model will delight you!
Netatmo presents two towers made of aluminium, the most compact is designed as a data transmitter, using batteries to obtain the necessary energy, while the larger tower is outlined as a sensor for the interior of your home, connecting to the power through a USB cable.
This weather station is compatible with iPhone and Android operating systems, and you can connect the sensors through a Wi-Fi connection and get all the relevant information that your team has collected on your mobile. To access it you must download and use a free App designed by the device manufacturers.
It is capable of emitting a weather forecast and also presents the user with accurate and independent data of atmospheric pressure, humidity and temperature both outside and inside your home.
Oregon Scientific BAR-206
It is the least expensive weather station models of our selection. This station is compact and personal, manufactured by Oregon Scientific, one of the most reliable brands in the opinion of users, Oregon presents a high-tech model, highlighted by its excellent quality and economical price.
The station has a wireless sensor to adapt it to the outside of your home, and this sensor allows the device to forecast the weather for a period of 12 to 24 hours, within a radius of at least 30 kilometres.
It provides the user with precise information about the lunar phases, temperature and humidity inside and outside the home also offer intelligent features such as configuring it in 5 different languages, an alarm that warns the user when the values have dropped to the point of freezing, a clock and a calendar.
It comes equipped with an amber LED screen, when you buy it you will be taking home excellent equipment, including batteries for its operation.
TFA Square Plus Weather Station
TFA presents a weather station with an elegant and sophisticated design, perfect for the modern home or office. This station has a wireless data transmitter, which you must position outside your property at a maximum distance of 100 meters.
By purchasing this station you will have exact data on the temperature and humidity inside and outside, you will have a history of up to 12 hours with the trends of atmospheric pressure, you will know precisely the time of sunrise and sunset, in addition to the duration of sunlight in 150 European cities.
It comes equipped with an alarm with snooze function, a radio control clock and all the information about the lunar phases. It offers reliable readings and data, with the function of presenting the user with a weather forecast through graphics and friendly symbols.
Atomic Wireless Weather Station ThinkGizmos
It is a meteorological station of a low price and of excellent quality, capable of presenting the user with complete and accurate information about the climate. Its beautiful and minimalist design will allow you to either position it on a table or hang it on the wall.
It has the function of a daily alarm, a calendar, the lunar phases, registers through a remote and wireless sensor the temperature and humidity both inside and outside, presenting the user with a record with the minimum and maximum values of the day.
It presents indicators of relative air pressure and a history of 12 hours with the values of atmospheric pressure, and it also offers the precise time of sunrise and sunset, it has a bright LCD screen where you can adjust the contrast values so that it is easier to read the information.
It works with batteries, and you can adjust a particular time mode for the summer season and display the values in degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius according to your preference.
Froggit WH3000 SE Weather Station
Froggit presents a high-tech weather station, equipped with a full-colour LED display, where the user is presented with complete and accurate weather information.
The station has a wireless transmitter, which collects the necessary reports on the outside of your property to reflect them on the LED screen then, it is also able to produce a weather forecast and represent it through icons and digital illustrations.
Has a clock and calendar, a programmable alarm with the function of repetition, reflects the values of temperature and humidity both inside and outside of your home, indicating the minimum and maximum values of each day.
This station can be used with batteries, or if you prefer using direct current, its design will allow you to hang it from the wall or position it standing on any flat surface, it has integrated a barometer able to reflect the atmospheric pressure and the relative pressure of the air.
What is a weather station?
A weather station is a device that gives precise information on the temperature, humidity and the amount of sunshine in an environment. It can also offer a real-time weather forecast.
The degree of precision, the type of sensor and the options may vary from one model to another. We can currently distinguish 3 types of weather station, namely the standard weather station, the model with forecast and the wifi weather station.
Weather station buying guide
The first criterion to consider when buying a weather station is the degree of accuracy. This concerns both the measurement accuracy of the sensors and that displayed on the station console. The more precise the station, the better. However, it should not be forgotten that precision influences the price of the accessory.
The basic models which often cost less raise the temperature to 0.5 ° C to 1 ° C or even to 2 ° C. The more sophisticated high-end weather stations offer measurement to the nearest tenth of a degree.
Note that apart from the degree of precision, it is also important to check the frequency of measurements. While some models will play a reading every 4 seconds, others every 30 seconds, or even every 60 seconds.
Sensors
To find the right weather station, you have to choose according to its sensor. There are indeed two types of sensors and your choice will depend on your needs. On the one hand, there are the sensors to be placed outside which need to be in contact with the elements.
Among them, the rain gauge measuring precipitation, the anemometer evaluating the wind speed and the wind vane indicating the direction in which it blows. On the other hand, there are the sensors to be placed in a special weather station shelter, such as the thermometer which measures the air temperature in the shade and the hygrometer which informs about the relative humidity of the air. The most reliable weather stations are both equipped with an indoor sensor and an outdoor sensor.
Options
In addition to the degree of precision and the type of sensor, it is also important to take into account the options offered by the weather station. It’s up to you to see what type of device you want and what your expectations are. You can, for example, find models which benefit from a function allowing you to adjust the brightness of the screen in order to improve visibility.
Some devices have an alarm with snooze mode to wake you up every morning. Others are equipped with an alarm that will alert you in the event of a heatwave, frost, strong wind or thunderstorms. These features are necessary if you are a gardening enthusiast or a farmer. There are also professional weather stations with a connection module for connecting the console to a computer.
How to set up a weather station?
In order to properly install a weather station, I advise you to read the user manual supplied with the device.
In order to be able to measure accurate weather information, you must take care in deciding where to place your weather station. A good location is the most important factor in ensuring accurate measurements and influences the accuracy of the readings at least as much as the quality of the meteorological instruments themselves.
The most common error when installing a weather station is associated with improper placement of the outdoor sensor. Professionals define temperature as the temperature in the shade with lots of ventilation. When placing your probe, be sure to place it correctly:
- The temperature sensor should never receive direct sunlight.
- The thermometer must be sufficiently ventilated and not be obstructed by the wind.
- If the probe is placed on top of the grass, make sure to position it at least 50cm above the surface.
Likewise, humidity measurements should be influenced by plants and water bodies. So make sure that the hygrometer is at least 1 meter from the foot of a tree or any body of water (river, gutters, etc.).
The rain gauge should receive rainwater as if it were in the middle of a field. For example, if there is a building to the west of your rain gauge and it is raining with a west wind, the measurement will be distorted because some of the water will not fall into your device. The rain gauge should therefore ideally be placed 2 meters from the nearest obstacle.
Regarding the anemometer, try to place it as high as possible. The standard wind measurement should theoretically be taken 10 meters above the ground. A roof (near the TV antenna) remains the ideal location for an individual with a house.
Finally, for the base of the weather station, if it is not a connected model, here are the steps necessary for a successful installation:
- Adjust the brightness and contrast of the screen.
- Configure the time by choosing the correct time zone and whether or not to activate daylight saving time.
- Change the date if it is not good.
Again, it is essential to read the manual to avoid any malfunction depending on the specifics of the probes and their ranges.
