How many times have you planned your day around a weather forecast that you got from an app or news broadcast only to have it be spectacularly wrong? Even local news meteorologists only provide general guidelines for temperature, wind, and rainfall predictions for the entire viewing area. How can you find a weather forecast that’s accurate for your neighborhood with exact weather data?
That’s where Weather Underground, a smart weather station, comes in. As long as you have Internet connectivity, this is a great way to get forecasts that are local, accurate, and smarter. How does Weather Underground work? It works by using a network of weather stations around the globe to collect and upload data as accurately as possible and using that information to put together reliable weather predictions.
If you’re interested in becoming a part of the weather underground community and sharing data from your weather station, you should know how Weather Underground works and their requirements.
What is Weather Underground?
Weather Underground, or Wunderground, is a community in the real sense of the word. They strive to make weather forecasts hyperlocal, reliable, and smart. To do this, they need the help of weather enthusiasts. The more people who join the project, the more data is collected, and the more accurate their forecasts. They currently have a network of more than 250,000 weather stations and are always looking for more. You can check out more information on the Weather Underground website.
In addition to providing real-time weather reporting online, Weather Underground also provides local weather reports for some local newspapers and websites. It combines the data collected from the community members as well as information from the National Weather Service (NWS) to put together an accurate forecast for small towns and other areas around big cities.
How Does It Work?
Without weather enthusiasts sharing their data with Weather Underground, they wouldn’t be able to provide the detailed forecasts in which they’re known. Data is everywhere these days, which is why Weather Underground has spent a lot of time figuring out how to use existing technology with their weather stations and other products to get the best possible results.
Should you join Weather Underground?
Before you can decide for sure, it helps to know what they’re looking for.
The more sensors connected to the network, the more information they collect. Ideally, sensors should be able to provide a lot of information, including outside temperature and humidity, wind speed and direction, and rainfall amounts. But not just any sensor will do. Weather Underground is looking for quality reporting so any weather station that’s reporting data that’s too far off what neighboring stations are reporting, that station’s data won’t be used.
A personal weather station in the network should report data regularly and often. The more data points about weather conditions coming from a single station, the better, especially when charting quickly changing and severe weather conditions.
Once all the information is collected, meteorologists and climate scientists use it along with data from the NWS to put together forecasts that are hyperlocal, personalized, and reliable and to examine the relationship between climate change and local weather.
Is Weather Underground for You?
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There are a lot of reasons why joining a weather station network like Weather Underground is worth it, and they’re one of the biggest and best. They’re great for anyone in a profession that requires working outdoors or a hobby that relies on good weather. Contractors, fishers, golfers, gardeners, and hikers can all benefit from a network like Weather Underground for accurate, hyperlocal forecasts.
If you’re a weather buff who likes being up to date with the latest gadgets and tech, joining the Weather Underground community is the next logical step. The more data they collect, they better they can accurately provide weather forecasts for you and everyone else that needs them.
What To Look for in a Wunderground Weather Station
There are several things to look for when choosing a weather station, particularly if you plan to join Wunderground.
- Use an internet weather station to transmit data easily. If not, you’ll also have to invest in a WeatherBridge, which can send data to Wunderground without a computer.
- Pick something that’s easy to set up and maintain and fits comfortably in your budget.
- Choose a brand with excellent customer service, just in case something goes wrong and you need help.
- Get a weather station that has at least the five most essential sensors: temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, and rainfall
- Choose your power source carefully. Most weather stations are wireless and run on either batteries or solar power.
- Smarthome support isn’t necessary but can be a nice bonus if you have a voice-controlled home smart speaker.
- Remember that proper placement is essential to collecting accurate data. Follow the recommendations of the manufacturer very carefully to collect reliable information for yourself and Weather Underground.
Choosing the right weather station is key. The more reliable the information from the community is the better Wunderground works for everyone. If you love the service and want to contribute, getting involved is the perfect next step.
