Weather Station

A weather station is a facility, either on land or sea, with instruments and equipment for observing atmospheric conditions to provide information for weather forecasts and to study the weather and climate. The measurements taken include temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, and precipitation amounts. Wind measurements are taken as free of other obstructions as possible, while temperature and humidity measurements are kept free from direct solar radiation, or insolation.

Characteristics of Weather Station

Weather Station Wind Speed Wind Direction (To the North) Temperature Humidity Sensor Dew-point Sensor Rainfall Gauge Evaporation meter Direct Solar Radiation meter Resolution/Range/Accuracy 0.1m/s /0~70m/s /0.3m/s 10 /0~3600 /30 0.10C /-40~800C /0.10C 0.1RH /0~100%RH /2%RH 0.010C /-50~800C /0.20C 0.1mm /0~999mm /0.2mm 0.1mm /0~100mm /1.5% 1w/m2 /0~2000w/m2 /<5%

Resolution
Minimum Change that instrument can measure is known as resolution. OR The quality of being determined or resolute.

Wind Speed Sensor

An anemometer is a device used for measuring wind speed, and is a common weather station instrument. Anemometers can be divided into two classes: those that measure the wind's speed, and those that measure the wind's pressure; but as there is a close connection between the pressure and the speed, an anemometer designed for one will give information about both. The wind speed sensor is mounted on a rugged pole that is removable with a simple twist.

Wind Direction Sensor

A sensor for measuring average wind direction in a sampling interval. This sensor consists of a light wind vane pivoted on top of a housing. Inside the housing a compass is magnetically coupled to the vane. When installed on brackets or tubes, the sensor must then be connected to the Sensor Scanning or Display Unit by a separate cable.

Temperature Sensor
Temperature sensors are devices used to measure the temperature of a medium. There are two kinds of temperature sensors: 1): contact sensors and 2): noncontact sensors. However, the three main types are thermometers, resistance temperature detectors, and thermocouples. All three of these sensors measure a physical properties which changes as a function of temperature.

Humidity Sensor
A hygrometer is an instrument used for measuring the moisture content in the atmosphere. Humidity measurement instruments usually rely on measurements of some other quantity such as temperature, pressure, mass or a mechanical or electrical change in a substance as moisture is absorbed. By calibration and calculation, these measured quantities can lead to a measurement of humidity.

Dew Point Sensor

The dew point is the temperature below which the water vapor in air at constant barometric pressure condenses into liquid water at the same rate at which it evaporates. The condensed water is called dew when it forms on a solid surface. The dew point is a water-to-air saturation temperature. The dew point is associated with relative humidity. A high relative humidity indicates that the dew point is closer to the current air temperature. When the moisture content remains constant and temperature increases, relative humidity decreases.

Rainfall Gauge
A rain gauge (also known as udometer, pluviometer) is a type of instrument used by meteorologists and hydrologists to gather and measure the amount of liquid precipitation over a set period of time. Most rain gauges generally measure the precipitation in millimeters. The level of rainfall is sometimes reported as inches or centimeters. Rain gauge amounts are read either manually or by automatic weather station (AWS).

Evaporation meter
Evaporation Meter measures losses from storages, channels and drains. By accurately measuring and logging water level every 15 minutes and relating night time evaporation to weather data, total losses can be split up to separate seepage and evaporation components. The measured evaporation rates can then be linked to standard weather data and evaporation losses calculated daily as required. Similarly, seepage rates (mm/day) can be applied to any storage, channel or drain to calculate losses.

Direct Solar Radiation meter

This precision Solar Radiation sensor or pyranometer includes a bubble level, leveling screws and mounting hardware for easy installation. There are two ways solar radiation reaches the Earth's surface. The first is direct solar radiation where the solar radiation is directly transmitted through the atmosphere. The second is diffuse solar radiation where the incoming solar radiation is scattered or reflected to the Earth's surface. Almost 50% of shortwave solar radiation is absorbed by the Earth's surface and changed into thermal infrared radiation. Direct solar radiation is measured by using solar radiation sensors or pyranometers. These type of solar radiation sensors have a transparent hemisphere which measures the total amount of shortwave solar radiation. Solar radiation sensors or pyranometers measure the total radiation or sum of the direct radiation and the diffuse solar radiation.

Instruments
Typical weather stations have the following instruments:

Thermometer for measuring air and sea surface temperature. Barometer for measuring atmospheric pressure. Hygrometer for measuring humidity. Anemometer for measuring wind speed. Rain gauge for measuring liquid precipitation over a set period of time.

In addition, at certain automated airport weather stations, additional instruments may be employed, including:

Present Weather/Precipitation Identification Sensor for identifying falling precipitation. Disdrometer for measuring drop size distribution. Transmissometer for measuring visibility. Ceilometer for measuring cloud ceiling.
More sophisticated stations may also measure the ultraviolet index, solar radiation, leaf wetness, soil moisture, soil temperature, water temperature in ponds, lakes, creeks, or rivers, and occasionally other data.

Exposure
Except for those instruments requiring direct exposure to the elements (anemometer, rain gauge), the instruments should be sheltered in a vented box, usually a Stevenson screen, to keep direct sunlight off the thermometer and wind off the hygrometer.

Personal Weather Station

A personal weather station is a set of weather measuring instruments operated by a private individual, club, association, or even business (where obtaining and distributing weather data is not a part of the entity's business operation). The quality and number of instruments can vary widely, and placement of the instruments, so important to obtaining accurate, meaningful, and comparable data, can also be very variable.

Automatic Weather Stations (features and uses)

Records of daily weather conditions have been kept for 200 years and more, of course, but traditionally have always required a diligent and dedicated human observer to record readings from manual instruments at a fixed time, without fail, every single day. And to analyze the daily data collected over months and years, more painstaking paperwork was called for. But fortunately we're now in an era where continuous automatic collection of weather data is feasible. And what's really made a difference in the last few years is that the technology to make accurate automated measurements has become much more affordable and more straightforward to use. We've now reached the point where it is well within the budget and capability of many individuals, clubs and businesses to run their own automatic weather station (AWS).

The key benefits of automated measurements include:

All current weather readings can be seen from indoors, at a glance and at any time; Routine daily maintenance chores (e.g. emptying the rain gauge) are done automatically; AWS stations can automatically record maximum and minimum values for a range of
weather parameters through each day and keep track, for example, of total monthly and yearly rainfall;

Readings can be easily taken direct from the console display; A data logger and PC can be readily linked to the station so that all weather data is
automatically logged. This means that;

Automated systems can run for weeks and months without attention whilst
continuously recording all details of the weather;

Much greater within-day detail is available e.g. the complete pattern of wind
speed & direction through the day can be logged;

 Comprehensive statistics can be automatically calculated and analyzed; Impressive visual graphics can be displayed; Detailed weather conditions may be viewed at any distance from the station itself.

Applications of Weather Stations

A variety of land-based weather station networks have been set up globally. Some of these are basic to analyzing weather fronts and pressure systems, such as the synoptic observation network, while others are more regional in nature. Examples of industrial/municipal applications for a small, automatic weather station include: External environment sensor set for large facilities energy management systems. The Weather Hawk can be the first link in an early-warning system about facility status, when conditions become extreme and physical plant staff must take action.

Free weather services often get weather data from sites that are actually miles away from your location. Weather data produced by a Weather Hawk at your location is far more accurate, and far more impressive.

Parks and recreation:

Turf grass management using Weather Hawk to provide ETO (evapotranspiration) data for irrigation scheduling.

Micro-climate monitoring by more than one Weather Hawk from a single host computer.

Municipal environmental data management:

Landfill dust management and customer complaint validation. Storm water data logging for archival purposes First responder system for environmental disaster management

During installation of solar panel