What Is a Weather Station?

A weather station is essentially a collection of weather instruments. These instruments can be used to read, gauge, measure and predict aspects of weather. In more technical terms, a weather station is assortment of instruments and equipment used to observe the weather by monitoring atmospheric conditions.

Typical weather stations include:

• Thermometer for measuring temperature
• Barometer for measuring air pressure
• Hygrometer for measuring humidity
• Anemometer for measuring wind speed and wind direction
• Rain gauge for measuring precipitation

Some weather stations can consist of many more instruments, depending on the station's complexity. The majority of instruments in a weather station - those that don't need to be exposed directly to the elements - are typically housed in a box or some sort of enclosure. Many industrial or commercial weather stations use a Stevenson Screen, which is a box-like enclosure specifically designed to house weather station instruments.

Uses and Applications
Some people buy weather stations purely to support a weather-loving hobby. Others may invest in a weather station for the benefit that it can provide to certain types of jobs, when foretelling the weather is important. Whatever the reason, there are many different types of consumer weather station available.

• Digital weather stations can be wired or wireless. The sensor (a unit containing a variety of different instruments) is placed or mounted outside, then (in the case of a wireless sensor) transmits data back to the receiver indoors. The receiver is typically no bigger than a wall clock or small tissue box. Digital weather stations feature an LCD display that constantly updates and displays current weather information. The detail of the information depends on the station.
• Portable weather stations are usually smaller, hand-held units. They are typically pocket-sized and run on standard or rechargeable batteries. Portable weather stations are able to give readings on wind measurement, air temperature, humidity, barometric pressure and more. Usually costing around $100 to $200, portable weather stations are used in a variety of applications such as forestry, firefighting, aviation, emergency rescue, aviation, shooting sports and meteorological hobby.