Building and amateur weather station can be a fascinating and interesting hobby. All the fun in having a weather station is not only observing and forecasting the weather, but it's quite intriguing to build you own equipment. There are many books available at you local library and from various book stores on how to build weather instruments. If you have access to a workshop in building these instruments, this makes it even easier and more fun.

The instruments which you will want for your amateur weather station will vary. You can have inexpensive equipment, or you can purchase weather instruments of the professional type...this all depends on you.

Some of the most common weather instruments include: barometer, thermometer, hygrometer, rain gauge, wind vane, anemometer, and an instrument shelter.

The barometer has been greatly overrated as a forecasting device, but the amateur forecaster should not be without one. You should have the means for detecting the changes in the atmosphere pressure. Changes in pressure, along with the wind direction, can give one of the best key to local weather.

The barometer is by far the most expensive instrument the amateur meteorologist may have to purchase. You can find plans or construction of a barometer in many books on weather forecasting, but the skills required to build this instrument often are beyond the lay person and the instrument's accuracy may be somewhat suspect.

An aneroid barometer, (ANEROID, Meaning without liquid)., can be purchased from many department stores for around $30 and up.

The barometer should not be placed out-of-doors: this exposure will corrode its parts. Air pressure is the same indoors as well as out-of-doors, so the instrument can be placed at a convenient location in the home, office, or shop. Keep it out of sunlight and away from drafts or the reading will not be reliable.

Barometers should be adjusted for your location. Instructions for these will be included with barometer. The current barometric pressure reading can be obtained by listening to your local radio or tv station, or your local NOAA, National Weather Service Radio Station.

Instruments combined with thermometer, barometer and humidity are available, but only the barometer will aid the amateur meteorologist. Temperature and humidity readings taken indoors are valueless in forecasting weather and only indicate the changes in the conditions within that particular room.

Amateur Weather Station Continued. Part III

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© 1998 Charles A. Giannetta

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