Please, please, please choose carefully where you place your instruments. Now here’s where my meteorologist side comes out. Oregon Scientific’s WMR89A comes with all the sensors you need right out of the box, with no need to buy anything additional for basic local weather reports. Instead of going for all the bells and whistles up front, save some cash and buy mid-range product that can be expanded with new and different sensors down the road. Others are compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, allowing you to ask for highly localized weather reports.Įxpandability: Your weather station might suit you fine now, but your needs could change later.

Some stations now support automation services like IFTTT, so you can turn on your heater when the temperature gets too cold, or your A/C if it gets too hot. If you already own a connected-home system, look for a weather station that’s compatible with your setup. Smart home support: Personal weather stations can make your smart home even smarter. Meteorologists might need your data, especially if you’re in a place where their weather stations aren’t!

Internet connectivity: If your weather station can connect to the Internet, you’ll not only be able access it while you’re away, typically through an app or a special website, but you’ll also be able to share your data with the world via services such as Weather Underground. Battery-operated or solar-assisted units are the best choice-you might need to change the batteries once a year. Avoid stations that rely mostly or solely on solar power, as a few dreary days can prevent the instruments from have energy stored to do their job. Battery or solar power? Just about all weather stations these days operate wirelessly, so your instruments will run on either battery or solar power.

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