Whether you aspire to become a meteorologist or simply want to monitor wind direction, chance of rainfall, indoor/outdoor temperature, and other parameters, investing in a weather station is a wise choice.
After doing a bit of research, we found the Ambient Weather WS-5000 Ultrasonic Smart Weather Station to offer the most value for the given price. It is highlighted by an accurate weather sensor and the ability to work with Alexa, Google Home, and IFTT.
To help you determine if it is the right product for your needs, we’ve prepared a thorough article covering its main features, interface, and potential downsides. Let’s get to it!
Ambient Weather WS-5000 Ultrasonic Smart Weather Station
Manufactured by the leading name in this sphere, Ambient Weather, it comes in two different variants – with and without the rain cup. Apart from the fact that the former is set at a higher price and will allow you to collect rainwater, there aren’t any differences. The station itself is solar-powered and operates with four AA batteries.
The WS-5000 uses ultrasonic wind sensing, but its sensors do not all report at the same interval. Ambient’s manual specifies 4.9 seconds for the outdoor array, 49 seconds for the indoor sensor and 49 seconds for the separate rain gauge. These are sensor reporting intervals, not a universal five-minute update or a guarantee of immediate internet display. The sensors communicate with the console by radio; the console uses Wi-Fi and an internet connection to share observations online. See the WS-5000 manual.
Who Is This Product for?
Firstly, it is a great product for anyone who is enthusiastic about meteorology and wants to create their own social feed with accurate forecasts and shared weather conditions. Additionally, if you are one of those who are skeptical about the official weather forecasts, this product would also benefit you.
What’s Included?
The outdoor array combines ultrasonic wind measurement with outdoor temperature/humidity and light/UV sensing. Indoor readings come from the separate WH32B thermo-hygrometer-barometer. The WS-5000 package also has a TFT console and a separate rain gauge; rainfall and indoor conditions are not measured ultrasonically by the outdoor wind sensor.
Last but not least, a detailed user’s guide featuring all the necessary instructions for installing and getting the most out of this product. Unfortunately, the manufacturer didn’t include the AA batteries, so it is something that you will need to get separately.
Overview of Features
The ultrasonic anemometer measures wind speed and direction without rotating wind cups or a mechanical wind vane. That design does not by itself establish better accuracy than every cup-based instrument. The TFT display can be mounted on a wall or used in a freestanding position.
It features a light and a dark mode, and it automatically adjusts the screen brightness based on what time of the day it is. One of the most remarkable points is that you can connect additional displays to it and thus create a setup that professional meteorologists would be impressed with.
The parameters displayed on the screen include weather forecast, wind speed/direction, sunrise, sunset, and the moon phase, as well as dew, “feels like temperature”, and gust! All of the parameters come with a historical timestamp that you can export to an SD card.
The outdoor array includes a radiation shield, solar panel and bubble level. The shield limits radiant heating of the temperature sensor, the panel supplies power and the level helps with installation. These features serve different purposes and do not guarantee the most accurate results.
The feature that we were most impressed by, apart from the ability to control Weather WS-5000 with Google Home and Alexa, is the Ambient Weather weather data network. As long as you are connected to Wi-Fi, you will be able to present your forecast results in the form of graphs, dials, and text reports to a worldwide community.
There is no anemometer cup to assess on this model. The ultrasonic measurement area still needs attention: Ambient documents erroneous wind readings caused by debris or spider webs. Follow its WS-5000 cleaning guidance rather than assuming no moving wind parts means maintenance-free operation.
How to Use it
The first step is to mount the ultrasonic sensor array to a pole that is between 1.25” and 2” in diameter. If you’ve invested in the kit that includes the extra-large rain cup, you should place it on the ground and near the sensor to ensure enhanced accuracy. As mentioned above, the monitor can be freestanding or mounted on the wall.
Any of the collected data will be automatically transmitted to the TFT LCD. If you want to impress everyone in the Ambient Weather community, investing in additional sensors such as soil meters and air quality sensors is a great decision.
Pros
- Features an ultrasonic sensor array
- Includes a TFT LCD that is simple to read
- Measures wind without rotating cups or a vane
- Data can be exported to an SD card/online community
- Simple to use
Cons
- Ultrasonic measurement area still requires cleaning
Alternatives
Logia 5-in-1 Wi-Fi Weather Station
If you are on a limited budget but want to invest in an accurate weather monitoring system, this Logia 5-in-1 Wi-Fi weather station is the right choice. It tracks data such as temperature, humidity, the chance of rainfall, wind direction and speed, and offers innovative features such as alarms and alerts for certain weather changes.
It can be integrated with a mobile app, and similar to Ambient Weather, you can transmit any of the logged data to an online weather monitoring community.
Wrap Up
If you want local weather observations, the Ambient Weather WS-5000 Weather Station offers ultrasonic wind sensing and a separate rain gauge. It has no wind cup to reinforce, and this review does not establish “professional accuracy.” The system covers a range of measurements that can be shared online.