Weather Station Data Explained: A Practical Glossary
Every number your weather station reports, explained in plain language: dew point, pressure trends, gusts, wind roses, rain tips, UV, AQI, and what to actually watch.
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Weather Data
Making sense of the numbers your station reports: wind, rain, pressure trends, dew point, frost prediction, air quality and how the sensors measure it all.
A weather station reports far more than temperature, and half the numbers are easy to misread. These guides explain what each reading actually means and which ones are worth watching: dew point versus relative humidity, wind gusts versus sustained wind, barometric pressure trends, how to read a wind rose, and how the sensors physically measure rain, wind, and the rest.
They also cover the practical side: calibrating a sensor that reads high, predicting frost from your own data, and making sense of air-quality numbers. New to the series? The weather station data glossary is the index to every term.
Dew Point vs Humidity: Which Should You Watch?
Dew point vs humidity explained: why dew point is the number that actually tells you how muggy, foggy, or frosty it is going to feel.
Read moreHow to Calibrate a Weather Station: Rain, Temp, Humidity
How to calibrate a weather station: the rain gauge drip test with exact math, the salt test for humidity, and when to leave a healthy Davis sensor alone.
Read moreHow to Predict Frost with Your Own Weather Station
Predict frost with your own weather station: the dew point, sky and wind readings that signal a freezing morning, plus how to set a frost alert.
Read moreRising or Falling Barometric Pressure: What It Means
What rising or falling barometric pressure means: trend thresholds, the storm signals forecasters use, and how to read your own pressure chart.
Read moreWeather Station Maintenance: A Seasonal Checklist
A seasonal weather station maintenance checklist: cleaning the rain gauge, radiation shield care, battery checks, and how to spot a failing sensor.
Read moreWeather Station Siting: Where to Mount It for Accurate Data
Where you mount a weather station matters more than what it cost. Per-sensor placement heights, the 4x obstacle rule, and the mistakes that ruin data.
Read moreWhy Your Weather Station Reads Hotter Than the Airport
Is your weather station temperature too high compared to the airport? It is usually siting, not a broken sensor. How to diagnose and fix radiation error.
Read moreWind Gust vs Sustained Wind: What's the Difference?
Sustained wind is an average; a gust is a brief peak. Learn why forecasts quote both and why your anemometer reads lower than the forecast.
Read moreHow to Set Up Weather Alerts for Your Home Weather Station
Get notified when your weather station hits key thresholds, from extreme temperatures and high wind gusts to heavy rain and poor air quality.
Read moreWhat Is a Wind Rose and How to Read One
A wind rose is one of the most informative charts in meteorology. Here is how to read it and what it tells you about your local wind patterns.
Read moreHow Weather Station Sensors Work: Temp, Wind, Rain & More
How weather station sensors work, in plain language - temperature, humidity, wind, rain, pressure, solar, and air quality explained.
Read moreUnderstanding Air Quality Index: AQI vs EAQI
Two different standards for reporting air quality, one sensor reading. Here is how the US EPA AQI and European EAQI compare, and which one you should use.
Read moreHow Do Weather Stations Measure Rainfall?
The tipping bucket mechanism inside your rain gauge is simple and reliable. Here is how it works, what affects its accuracy, and how to maintain it.
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