Weather Station

weather · science · climate · measurement

Temperature and humidity checks. Weather stations use special instruments to measure how hot or cold it is and how much moisture is in the air, but they keep these tools away from direct sunlight so the sun doesn't give false readings.

Wind speed and direction. Stations use instruments that spin in the wind to measure how fast it's blowing and where it's coming from, placed high up with as few buildings or trees nearby as possible so nothing blocks the wind.

Ocean weather buoys. Ships and floating buoys out at sea collect weather information too, and they measure special ocean things like water temperature, wave height, and how long the waves take to pass by.

Constant watching. While people visit weather stations at least once a day to take measurements by hand, automatic instruments take readings all by themselves at least once every hour, day and night.

Rainfall measurement. Weather stations track how much rain or snow falls, which helps scientists understand weather patterns and predict storms coming your way.