6 Reasons Why You Need a Home Weather Station

There's a good reason why the weather is a universal conversation topic — it's important to everyone. Whether you're planning a trip to the beach, tracking a dangerous storm or watching for the right conditions to get your crop in the ground, a home weather station helps you monitor the weather so you can plan your life with more confidence. Here are six reasons you need a home weather station in your life — and our recommendations for the best type of weather station for your needs.

1. Plan Backyard Activities for the Best Times

An unexpected rainstorm can drive all the guests at your backyard barbecue into your living room and kitchen. A weather station can help you choose the best dates for an upcoming party, so your plans aren't canceled by an unexpected rainstorm. While local weather forecasts can give you general predictions, a weather station in your backyard gives you real-time data that are often more accurate than the weather reports. Combining immediate data with a little knowledge and tips from our experts can prepare you for everything from a backyard barbecue to camping out with the kids. 

The AcuRite Direct to Wi-Fi 5-in-1 Weather Station is a popular choice for home weather monitoring. It features a rain gauge, wind speed and direction, and a Self-Calibrating Weather Forecast to help you make plans with confidence.

2. Teach Your Children Science the Fun Way

A weather station in your backyard provides an array of fun weather activities and projects for kids of all ages. They can measure rainfall, track temperature, keep a weather journal, or predict the best time to dig for worms. Whether you're home-schooling or adding enrichment to your kids' schooling, AcuRite weather instruments give them real-time data that they can use in science projects and other activities. Don't take our word for it — check out how this school uses AcuRite in their after-school science program.

3. Get More Enjoyment from Outdoor Sports and Activities

If you live for outdoor activities, you already know that the weather is a vital factor in your enjoyment of the day — but did you know you can use data from a personal weather station to help you get more fun from your favorite outdoor sports? Understanding the environmental conditions can help you plan hunting and fishing trips to take advantage of typical animal behavioral patterns. Fish are more active when the air pressure changes, for example, and deer react to high temperatures by going into hiding. AcuRite sensors help you monitor the best conditions for hunting and fishing both at home and on location.

4. Stay Safe When Exercising Outdoors

Whether your preferred outdoor exercise is hiking, biking, swimming, or some other variation, it's essential to take the weather and environmental conditions into account when planning and participating. Temperature, wind speed and direction, UV detection and barometric pressure can all affect your body and your tolerance for activity. By monitoring the weather conditions with a weather station and a portable weather device, you'll know whether you should carry extra water, dress in additional layers, or postpone your workout for a day when the pollen isn't so heavy in the air.

5. Make Your Home Safer and More Comfortable for Your Family

An indoor/outdoor weather station is an important tool in maintaining a healthy home for yourself and your family. Air quality, humidity, and temperature make a big difference in comfort and safety. With accurate data from a home monitoring system, you can take steps to maintain the indoor environment at optimum levels. The benefits of monitoring indoor conditions include:

• Prevention of mold, which thrives in moist conditions
• Reduction of the effects of winter allergies, which tend to worsen in dry conditions
• Improved sleep conditions from the maintenance of the best temperature and humidity for sleep
• Protection of valuables that are affected by humidity and temperature

When using AcuRite sensors in and around your home, you can manage your with expert precision — turn on the air conditioner when the temperature climbs too high or turn on humidifiers/dehumidifiers as needed. You can even monitor conditions remotely — a real boon for owners of rental property or caregivers for older parents.

6. Get Your Garden Growing

Experienced gardeners know the importance of monitoring weather conditions to ensure a bountiful harvest. Accurate data can tell you when to water, what soil amendments you need, when to plant and when to get out there and batten down the hatches before a storm. You can measure rainfall, check soil temperature and pH level and UV intensity to help you plan, plant, and maintain your garden. Equipping your yard with a weather station and soil sensors can help you avoid underwatering and overwatering your plants, or set up an alert to let you know when to take action because of severe weather.

Final Thoughts

In case these six reasons aren't enough to convince you that you need a weather station in your life, here's one more — you can make your monitoring data count for even more when you join an online weather community network like Weather Underground. These communities rely on data uploaded by thousands of weather stations worldwide to deliver accurate forecasts, spot severe weather, and compile data on environmental changes. In return, you get access to historical weather data for your area and the knowledge provided by experienced weather spotters and meteorologists around the globe.