Wonderful For Kids (Big And Small): Home Weather Stations

I loved science when I was a kid - still do, as a matter of fact. I loved doing science projects for school, and one of my favorite projects was to construct a homemade weather station. It was mostly made from things you might find around the house: knocked-together wooden planks, milk cartons, nails. But I had a blast making it, and learned a lot from the whole experience. As a result I have always had a fondness for Meteorology - the study of weather patterns.

So I am so pleased when I turn the pages of my science and hobbyist catalogs and see the fine equipment that is being made today - it incorporates technology way beyond anything I could have imagined as a boy! I decided to sit down and write this article to help you understand what you might need if you too wanted to set up a home weather station.

There are 2 ways to approach this: You can either construct a shelter and place your weather detection equipment inside it, which will require you to go outside to take readings, or you can set up a home weather station that will allow you to get readings while you are inside.

If you go with the former approach, you will need to make sure that the entire unit of each instrument can be safely located out-of-doors (not all can). You will also need to construct a weather station - a kind of a vented structure - in which you can place all the instruments. Then you will need to go outside daily and take your readings. This is the old-fashioned method, and is still preferred by some.

If you decide that braving the elements on a below-freezing day is not your cup of tea, you can purchase weather equipment that comes in two parts. One part stays outside, the other part will give you the instrument reading, and this part stays indoors. Both are connected to the other via a cable (or wirelessly if you wish).

Basic Metrologic equipment will enable you to record temperatures, rainfall, barometric pressure, wind direction and speed, and humidity. If you wish, you can purchase integrated weather station panels, which will provide you with a set of equipment and a panel which will provide a 'weather dashboard' - very popular with the backyard forecasting set.

As your skill and knowledge grow, you can invest in more advanced instrumentation, such as a thermo-hygrometer (it measures humidity and temperature, giving you a 'heat index'), or a baro-hygrometer (which measures humidity and barometric pressure). Most home weather forecasters find that the wireless equipment is easier to install and maintain, but the downside is that they cost a lot more than the hard-wired equipment. In addition, there are some die-hard fans of the old equipment that feel that the hard-wired models give a more accurate reading, but that is disputed by others.

In general, however, this equipment is not cheap. So if the kids have been nagging you about purchasing a home weather station, make sure that they are really going to follow-through on this hobby before you spend the bucks. Once your home weather station is up and running, you will find it a pleasant hobby for yourself, as well as an educational experience for your children, especially older-age boys. I wish you happy forecasting!

Article Source: http://insightpros.com

Author: Kelly Gillis has landscaped her own backyard and wants to help you. To learn about how to build a pergola and home weather stations visit her site.
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