What are the uses of an automatic weather station?
The environment and especially the weather are said to be the most important, unpredictable and strange component of the earth’s entire ecosystem. Think about it, you cannot live without the rain or the sun, at the same time, there are always disruptions in the weather forecasts. The conclusion? Any activity, any particle or any cycle that associates itself with the environment needs a proper, focused and systematic forecast network to make predictions as accurately as possible and reduce the impact of any disruptions.
Talking about activity, most of the modern-day activities, be it industrialization, urbanization or an IT revolution is known to be highly responsible for increasing the levels of pollution in the world. Pollution here refers to not just one type but all types, land, air or water. Another cycle would be the surprising turn of events when a hurricane or earthquake happens, destroying all forms of life in a blink of an eye. Similarly, awareness about where one lives, the quality of weather one has around them and should any precautionary measures be taken in terms of particulate matter, temperature or UV-radiation is crucial to safeguard humans against medical diseases and meteorological hazards.
How can people be aware?
Modern day technology has come up with various tools to help individuals or large-scale organizations become more aware and careful with their decisions. Nowadays, in house weather stations can be set up, which can measure temperature, humidity, UV-radiation, pressure, rainfall and wind speed. These weather stations were earlier manually operated and needed a large set-up for human labour to work with a set of machinery like thermometer etc.
However, now, these stations have become completely tech-based, called the Automatic Weather Stations. The best part? Not only do these stations analyze the current weather situation, but they also record historical data, give our trends and even make future forecasts. An all-in-one combination indeed. These forecasts and trends are the key factors considered when any warnings are sent out or the government wants to initiate a new climate policy.
What should one look for in an Automatic Weather Station?
1. Long-term
If you are making an investment, especially related to a phenomenon like the weather, which is a forever concept, the investment should be worth the money spent. Look for equipment that can handle arctic colds to equator heat, has a high-grade engineered metal structure and has an IP65 grade enclosure.
This way, the AWS should be able to function and tolerate all types of weather conditions without creating a problem. Operating it remotely allows easy installation and then its compact size should allow easy movement to cover on geographical location at once.
2. Configuration
Since we are a part of the 21 st century, the technology used has to be high-end and easy to manage. An AWS should be connected to the internet, be able to give out information, both offline and online as per need. Moreover, it should have a unique identity via geo-tagging for easy location and give out real-time data throughout the day.
This way not only does one get an edge in understanding the weather but also can access data from anywhere around the globe. Infact, many AWS systems are now available with a solar powered grid, allowing zero costs of electricity and continuous functionality of the device, with or without circuit power.
Uses of an AWS
1. Individuals
Individuals at home who would want to take precautions before travelling or farmers who want to optimize the right timings and take the right measures for crop protection. Compact Automatic Weather stations can be installed anywhere and don’t require high maintenance. Know the weather condition before booking a flight, planning a wedding or planting a crop.
2. Industries
Industrialists set up monitors to know when to declare holidays, when can the weather hinder production cycles or how to take the right operational decisions. Industries include factories, corporate offices, airports, and seaports as well. Different levels of rainfall and pressure can damage the final good or delay the delivery time, hence knowing about them beforehand is better, to inform customers in advance. Costs go down, errors reduce, and lead time gets improved, all a win-win for an industrialist.
3. Government
Government and related bodies are responsible for managing climate change, develop better plans to fight pollution and get rid of global warming. The weather data collected by AWS gives them the information needed to understand the past weather record, the potential causes behind any dynamism and the effect any activity can have on the weather.
Accordingly, policies and meetings can be scheduled, on a national and an international level. Infact, many AWS systems can monitor soil humidity, road surface condition, and wind direction, revealing what causes air movement, how are underground water levels and what needs to be changed. Such measurements are difficult to procure without any professional help.
4. Environmentalists
Environmentalists work round the clock to conduct research and come up with solutions to all weather-related issues. Research requires a concrete base of information and data, quantitative data, which can only be directly, quickly and effectively be procured from an Automatic weather station. Any geographical location, any landmark or any surveillance area, it can be covered with n AWS and all data can be sent online to an environmentalist doing research at any other location.
Purchasing an AWS system should be done very carefully, after understanding all features and all the benefits it holds. Many times, we might feel we don’t need so much information at hand, but remember, at the end of the day, knowledge is power.
Moreover, Automatic Weather systems are now available via various big brands that are trustable and have years of experience. This allows you to have a variety to choose from and better negotiation power as a customer. Choose additional features like notifications, automated report generation, and outdoor display while making a purchase, as these make monitoring and analyzing easier in the long run.