The Weather Station Thread

[Kim]

I had no idea it was so technological!

It's a variation on an ancient Japanese design for scaring BEARS away from your ornamental horticulture.  Or something.

It's the easiest way to make an automated rain gauge, as it only requires a simple sensor like a reed switch that can detect when the tippy thing tips, and something to count the pulses.  No need for precision weighing devices or sensitive optics.  Careful sizing and adjustment can make it quite precise, at least until the spiders come along and gum up the works with their webs.

[Flite]

measuring it to a precision 0.1mm?

Yes, even our bog standard, read by a human, rain gauge is read to 0.1mm. (40+years and counting)
The gauge collects rain at the top of a relatively large funnel and it goes into a "bucket". The water is transferred into a measuring cylinder of a much smaller diameter, so it can be accurately read to 0.1mm.

Our state of the art Met Office automatic was installed a couple of years ago, and the figures are comparable.

[Wowbagger]

What is this state-of-the-art Met Office standard rain gauge, please?

[Cudzoziemiec]

measuring it to a precision 0.1mm?

Yes, even our bog standard, read by a human, rain gauge is read to 0.1mm. (40+years and counting)
The gauge collects rain at the top of a relatively large funnel and it goes into a "bucket". The water is transferred into a measuring cylinder of a much smaller diameter, so it can be accurately read to 0.1mm.

Our state of the art Met Office automatic was installed a couple of years ago, and the figures are comparable.

That's the kind of device I would have expected, rather than rocker tech!

[Flite]

What is this state-of-the-art Met Office standard rain gauge, please?

Good Question.  The environment agency installed it and I can't pretend to know how it works.
I've asked hubby and he can't remember either. It sends the reading by some telephone technology every 15 mins to the environment agency - or something like that.  They pay us a nominal rent for the land the enclosure is on.
The old rain gauge is now in the same enclosure and we read that almost every day cos it's what we have done for the last 46 years.
We tried to persuade them to install an anemometer at the same time, but they wouldn't fund it.

[Wowbagger]

Ooh! That's rather exciting, having official Met Office figures being generated on your land!

I was looking at very expensive electronic rain gauges and I thought I had something better I could be doing with >£600.

[TimC]

The rain figure must have its decimal dot transposed to the right. Or did you really have only 6.50cm rain all month and you're genuinely measuring it to a precision 0.1mm?

6.5cm is a lot of rain for a single month in this part of the world, although my manual measurement was 8.19cm. My brother tells me that 2023 was the first calendar year in which he has recorded 4 months with more than 10cm rain in each.

Many automatic weather stations use a reed switch "rocker" which records 0.2mm per "flick" of the switch. I think it may be possible to adjust the amount of rain it records for each cycle.

I suspect your average rainfall is similar to mine, and 6.5 cm (let alone 8.19) is above average for any month of the year here, with an annual average of 62cm (Wattisham, just 3 miles from me).

[aidan.f]

When I started work at Burnhope TV station in the 1980's we did 3 hourly meto reports, and being atop a big hill had an aneometer tower next to the proper big mast. There were paper roll charts to change and moving pens to ink. We did temperature but IIRC not rain - probably too turbulent about the site.  It got more automated, then the site was de-staffed and everything fell into disuse...Data gathering Flyte, Wow relies on a dedicated few - .
I suspect much Met Office weather data these days is gathered by scraping Wundergound, with enough data presumably a 'puter can correct the innacuracies.

[TimC]

Most calibrated aviation weather stations now are automated, including cloud cover detection, and report remotely. There are many fewer than there were even 20 years ago thanks to the huge reduction in the size of our active air forces, but I suspect the increase in privately-owned but reasonably accurate equipment gives the Met Office and others sufficient geographic data to inform their recording and forecasts.

[Wowbagger]

I've been up a ladder again this morning to clear detritus from the rain gauge's funnel. That's about 15mm it failed to record last night.

[Wowbagger]

Meanwhile., here's January's monthly summary.


                   MONTHLY CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMARY for Jan 2024


NAME: Prittlewell                 
ELEV: 20 meters    LAT: 51-32.95 N    LONG: 000-42.52 E


                   TEMPERATURE (C), RAIN (cm), WIND SPEED (km/h)

                                         HEAT   COOL         AVG
      MEAN                               DEG    DEG          WIND                   DOM
DAY   TEMP   HIGH   TIME    LOW   TIME   DAYS   DAYS   RAIN  SPEED   HIGH   TIME    DIR
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 01    8.7   10.9  23:59    7.4  07:52    9.6    0.0   0.46    8.9   37.0  00:09    245
 02   11.6   12.9  14:23   10.3  23:45    6.7    0.0   0.56   12.3   67.6  16:58    259
 03   10.0   11.9  12:38    8.8  23:55    8.4    0.0   0.12    7.5   32.2  00:00    268
 04    8.5    9.8  20:20    6.6  08:16    9.9    0.0   1.42    5.6   25.7  18:20    242
 05    6.4    8.6  00:00    4.6  23:10   11.9    0.0   0.16    5.2   33.8  07:44    296
 06    5.1    6.6  14:15    2.0  23:57   13.3    0.0   0.00    2.8   20.9  02:47     16
 07    3.2    4.9  13:31    1.4  04:50   15.2    0.0   0.00    6.8   32.2  20:18     36
 08    2.6    3.9  00:30    1.5  13:01   15.7    0.0   0.10   10.0   35.4  10:14     55
 09    3.0    4.3  14:16    1.9  07:01   15.3    0.0   0.04   12.6   46.7  12:14     67
 10    3.0    6.1  12:52    0.0  23:55   15.3    0.0   0.00    7.5   33.8  11:30     56
 11    2.7    5.2  11:48   -0.4  04:34   15.6    0.0   0.02    3.2   22.5  12:58     22
 12    5.3    6.2  11:28    4.4  23:47   13.0    0.0   0.00    4.3   24.1  08:19     22
 13    3.3    4.5  00:00    1.7  09:07   15.1    0.0   0.00    3.7   19.3  04:45    271
 14    4.2    6.3  13:26    2.8  23:58   14.1    0.0   0.06    3.8   19.3  14:34    277
 15    1.0    4.1  14:24   -1.0  23:55   17.3    0.0   0.00    4.4   30.6  11:36    291
 16    0.9    5.4  14:31   -1.7  02:38   17.4    0.0   0.00    3.6   16.1  13:48    247
 17    1.8    3.0  12:50   -0.6  23:59   16.5    0.0   0.00    2.4   16.1  15:34     23
 18   -0.3    4.2  14:33   -3.9  06:46   18.6    0.0   0.00    2.9   19.3  10:51    294
 19    1.7    6.4  14:17   -1.3  08:15   16.6    0.0   0.00    4.9   17.7  10:33    261
 20    3.8    6.2  12:33    1.0  01:13   14.5    0.0   0.00    5.5   30.6  23:33    214
 21    9.3   12.7  21:53    4.6  00:00    9.0    0.0   0.10   12.2   56.3  19:58    229
 22   10.2   12.9  03:17    7.1  23:59    8.1    0.0   0.12   14.0   53.1  02:35    265
 23    9.3   12.8  23:53    5.7  05:12    9.0    0.0   0.08   10.0   40.2  22:30    249
 24   11.2   13.3  01:03    7.9  23:58    7.2    0.0   0.02   11.2   49.9  00:44    270
 25    9.4   11.7  14:07    6.0  03:24    9.0    0.0   0.02    4.9   25.7  21:48    225
 26    9.1   12.1  02:03    4.8  21:59    9.3    0.0   0.00    7.8   46.7  07:12    268
 27    5.6    9.1  13:33    2.8  07:20   12.7    0.0   0.02    3.6   17.7  12:50    185
 28    6.9   10.4  14:53    4.6  01:28   11.4    0.0   0.02    4.2   19.3  17:48    156
 29    9.5   10.8  20:24    7.8  00:00    8.9    0.0   0.04    3.7   20.9  18:45    169
 30    8.6   11.3  02:25    7.3  23:44    9.7    0.0   0.02    5.8   32.2  03:30    263
 31    8.6   11.7  21:38    6.5  04:53    9.8    0.0   0.00    7.0   30.6  11:56    251
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       5.9   13.3     24   -3.9     18  384.2    0.0   3.38    6.5   67.6     02    268

[Wowbagger]

                   MONTHLY CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMARY for Feb 2024


NAME: Prittlewell                 
ELEV: 20 meters    LAT: 51-32.95 N    LONG: 000-42.52 E


                   TEMPERATURE (C), RAIN (cm), WIND SPEED (km/h)

                                         HEAT   COOL         AVG
      MEAN                               DEG    DEG          WIND                   DOM
DAY   TEMP   HIGH   TIME    LOW   TIME   DAYS   DAYS   RAIN  SPEED   HIGH   TIME    DIR
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 01    7.7   11.7  14:51    4.7  07:57   10.6    0.0   0.00    4.1   20.9  00:00    277
 02   10.0   13.9  14:17    5.0  01:12    8.4    0.0   0.00    9.9   41.8  11:56    269
 03   12.1   14.5  14:04   10.2  03:56    6.3    0.0   0.00    8.0   25.7  08:44    269
 04   12.2   14.2  13:24   10.6  23:57    6.2    0.0   0.02   10.9   46.7  22:37    270
 05   10.4   11.7  14:02    8.2  07:20    8.0    0.0   0.00   12.2   41.8  10:53    267
 06   11.9   13.8  11:38    6.7  23:56    6.4    0.0   0.04   12.7   40.2  10:08    269
 07    5.6    6.8  15:39    4.4  04:26   12.8    0.0   0.14    2.5   20.9  00:48     47
 08    7.8   11.4  16:03    4.9  01:23   10.5    0.0   1.40    4.3   27.4  08:53    119
 09   10.9   13.1  14:27    9.9  07:45    7.4    0.0   0.20    6.0   30.6  11:50    207
 10    9.6   11.3  13:22    7.6  23:28    8.7    0.0   0.52    2.5   14.5  12:46    191
 11    8.2   12.8  13:43    6.4  23:57   10.2    0.0   0.02    2.1   20.9  15:13    286
 12    7.0   11.6  13:28    4.3  07:08   11.3    0.0   0.02    5.2   22.5  14:47    264
 13    8.4   11.4  21:19    5.6  05:09    9.9    0.0   0.02    5.7   30.6  18:57    226
 14   12.1   13.2  13:22   10.7  00:25    6.2    0.0   0.04    7.0   30.6  12:19    239
 15   13.1   16.4  13:57   11.7  08:12    5.2    0.0   0.28    3.7   20.9  14:02    183
 16   12.1   15.3  13:41   10.9  23:47    6.2    0.0   0.06    5.3   27.4  14:03    269
 17   11.0   12.8  15:06    9.2  04:53    7.3    0.0   0.38    5.2   27.4  17:10    235
 18   11.5   15.1  14:36    9.8  23:54    6.8    0.0   1.08    5.8   29.0  09:25    258
 19   10.4   14.9  14:51    7.8  05:41    7.9    0.0   0.00    5.2   25.7  08:48    273
 20    9.3   12.1  15:20    6.9  06:56    9.0    0.0   0.00    7.5   33.8  14:57    249
 21   10.2   11.6  19:15    8.9  07:31    8.2    0.0   0.46    7.6   32.2  15:06    234
 22    8.3   12.1  12:15    4.4  18:03   10.0    0.0   1.22    7.7   40.2  17:55    248
 23    6.4   10.7  12:43    4.6  23:10   11.9    0.0   0.02    6.0   25.7  06:55    244
 24    5.2   10.4  12:53    2.4  07:15   13.2    0.0   0.10    1.9   19.3  13:13    221
 25    5.3    8.3  12:03    0.2  07:22   13.0    0.0   0.42    6.5   48.3  23:30     77
 26    6.7    8.4  14:10    4.3  22:10   11.6    0.0   0.00   14.3   49.9  12:56     33
 27    6.7    9.7  13:35    2.9  07:29   11.7    0.0   0.00    3.4   16.1  00:00    271
 28    9.3   12.2  14:27    6.3  05:23    9.1    0.0   0.00    5.0   27.4  15:06    231
 29    9.5   12.5  09:53    5.8  21:54    8.8    0.0   0.52    5.3   29.0  09:24    235
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       9.3   16.4     15    0.2     25  262.9    0.0   6.96    6.3   49.9     26    257

And February. My real rain gauge recorded 101.5mm rain compared to the 69.6mm recorded by the Davis.

Brother David (Ramsden Heath) recorded 126.9mm. His son Tom, (Chelmsford) recorded 130mm.

[Wowbagger]

                   MONTHLY CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMARY for Mar 2024


NAME: Prittlewell                 
ELEV: 20 meters    LAT: 51-32.95 N    LONG: 000-42.52 E


                   TEMPERATURE (C), RAIN (cm), WIND SPEED (km/h)

                                         HEAT   COOL         AVG
      MEAN                               DEG    DEG          WIND                   DOM
DAY   TEMP   HIGH   TIME    LOW   TIME   DAYS   DAYS   RAIN  SPEED   HIGH   TIME    DIR
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 01    6.4    9.8  15:10    4.6  22:45   11.9    0.0   0.60    6.8   40.2  08:21    186
 02    7.2    9.7  12:58    4.7  00:11   11.2    0.0   0.06    5.9   37.0  09:06    150
 03    6.1    9.8  14:06    3.4  06:21   12.2    0.0   0.00    0.6    9.7  12:46    336
 04    7.7   11.4  11:58    3.4  05:14   10.6    0.0   0.00    4.0   22.5  13:00    157
 05    7.6    9.1  14:43    6.8  05:32   10.7    0.0   0.52    3.0   17.7  00:14    100
 06    8.2   12.2  14:15    5.5  07:09   10.1    0.0   0.00    2.3   17.7  14:39     87
 07    8.0   10.9  11:17    6.7  01:44   10.3    0.0   0.00    8.6   30.6  15:43     67
 08    7.7    9.2  13:01    6.1  05:58   10.7    0.0   0.00    9.7   35.4  12:11     68
 09    9.8   12.2  14:25    7.2  06:05    8.6    0.0   0.00    7.4   33.8  11:00     86
 10    8.5   10.0  00:00    7.4  23:55    9.9    0.0   0.60    4.8   24.1  13:30     75
 11    7.7    8.7  14:34    6.8  21:33   10.6    0.0   0.04    2.2   19.3  17:08    347
 12    9.8   12.9  18:09    6.9  01:55    8.5    0.0   0.84    5.3   20.9  15:43    249
 13   11.6   12.8  12:18   10.6  05:43    6.7    0.0   0.00    8.0   30.6  08:50    241
 14   12.8   18.2  14:51    9.6  04:12    5.6    0.0   0.00    5.5   24.1  10:17    226
 15   12.6   16.5  13:01    8.6  23:59    5.7    0.0   0.04    8.7   35.4  10:25    246
 16    9.9   13.2  13:25    5.8  06:33    8.5    0.0   0.00    3.4   22.5  16:19    138
 17   11.7   15.2  16:34    9.8  01:20    6.6    0.0   0.36    4.2   24.1  12:02    189
 18   11.5   14.9  13:33    8.7  06:27    6.8    0.0   0.00    5.6   20.9  11:09    239
 19   11.8   13.9  12:11   10.3  05:31    6.6    0.0   0.00    5.9   25.7  09:43    229
 20   12.8   19.1  14:29    9.7  05:56    5.5    0.0   0.06    2.2   14.5  04:04    202
 21   11.6   15.6  12:37    8.2  05:25    6.8    0.0   0.00    4.6   24.1  12:51    236
 22   10.4   12.3  11:13    6.8  23:57    7.9    0.0   0.02    5.1   22.5  00:21    271
 23    8.0   12.5  13:35    4.7  06:28   10.3    0.0   0.02    9.3   35.4  15:51    272
 24    9.4   14.3  14:21    6.0  22:12    9.0    0.0   0.00    6.7   37.0  10:34    284
 25    9.4   12.2  14:52    6.3  00:36    8.9    0.0   0.00    4.6   24.1  12:07    134
 26   10.5   13.1  12:11    7.3  23:50    7.8    0.0   0.88    4.8   32.2  23:09     93
 27    8.8   12.3  12:48    6.1  02:52    9.6    0.0   0.04    6.6   33.8  12:00    157
 28    9.4   11.2  18:47    6.2  06:36    9.0    0.0   0.56   10.8   49.9  20:12    211
 29   10.8   14.5  16:02    8.2  03:28    7.5    0.0   0.12    7.0   35.4  00:00    222
 30   10.7   14.9  13:51    7.2  06:07    7.6    0.0   0.00    2.3   22.5  15:37    131
 31    9.9   11.7  16:49    8.4  02:30    8.4    0.0   0.10    5.7   25.7  07:58     64
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       9.6   19.1     20    3.4     03  270.3    0.0   4.86    5.5   49.9     28    198

56.8mm rain here for March.

[Wowbagger]

The Weewx software I use is at version 4.9.1. I know Version 5 has been released and Dez was encouraging me to upgrade. I have a spare Raspberry Pi and a few SD cards so I shall attempt that at some point. I'd rather do that than try to upgrade the existing installation in situ. Keep it working until I'm happy with the replacement, I say. I find messing around with software and hardware quite a challenge.