Weather Station Hardware > What Weather Station Should I Buy?
Two things missing from most stations…
DoctorKnow:
The cheaper stations use ball bearings for their wind shafts. These need attention every year in my experience. They get dirt exposure, and pollen contamination. If you clean these up, and use some dry lube, they will run like champs. Also finding the right spot in your yard will make a huge difference. I moved my station way in the back, between obstacles, and this has made a huge difference. My station reads higher now than most, and even matches up with the air facilities quite well. I have mine on a flag pole with a tripod mount that once held a large umbrella, held down with cinder blocks and guy lines.
TheBushPilot:
Your best bet for measuring all types of precipitation reliably are with a present weather sensor, be it from OTT Hygromet or Optical Scientific. The "only" caveat to these are that they run around ~$5000 to $10,000. I don't believe these directly do snow water equivalent readings but you can easily calculate that.
You probably won't find this technology in home weather stations for a long time if ever. :roll:
The Parsivel2 from OTT uses a laser to discriminate droplet type and size. Optical Scientific manufactures specific sensors for precipitation measurement for rain and snow. Those use IR scintillation to derive type and intensity/accumulation. Both would require a dedicated logging system and communications equipment. $$$
Otherwise alternatively weighing gauges are a cheaper alternative though still in the $1000s. Putting up the appropriate wind alter shields around one of them and filling the gauge with anti-freeze allow for winter snow-water equivalency measurements is a valid approach. That's what the NYS Mesonet does. Or heated rain gauges in the same setup though still having to compensate for evaporation. Those also typically require mains power.
There's really no cheap way to do it if done properly. :-| Either not at all or requiring $$$$$.
Even with automated snowfall measurements many mesonets are adopting using sonic depth sensors, there are nuances there as well. These don't compensate for drifts or if the ground melts the snow during slow accumulation. Present weather sensors are really really good at what they do but at a prohibitive price point.
Siting for anemometers is the biggest factor for "accurate" measurements. That goes for any anemometer. Picking up a $3500 3D sonic from R. M. Young and putting it tens of feet behind a two story house will perform worse than the Acurite 5 in 1 sited 10 ft AGL in an open field on a farm. Really comes down to context.
Cheers
hofpwx:
Real estate and WX obs are all about the location, location, location.
henry:
Ecowitt is going to release their level/distance measurement sensor: LDS01. This device can be used for tank level , snow depth measurement. It is within 1cm accuracy, and even can be used to make a automatic level controller via the faucet valve or ball valve controller on the ecowitt ecosystem.
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