Weather Stationary

Read The Wind For The Best Waves For Surfing

Read The Wind For The Best Waves For Surfing

 

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Surfing enthusiasts agree that knowing the wind for the best waves gives them an upper hand. Surfers live for the opportunity to get into the water, but we should keep in mind that waves are a gift of the winds. Wouldn’t it be handy to be able to read currents and patterns to find wind for the best waves?

The winds themselves are a gift of the ocean, and there are things happening in the middle of the sea which will eventually bless us with the beautiful waves we know at our local break. 

In this article, you will learn about reading the wind for the best waves. But first, let’s answer a couple of quick FAQs:

What’s The Best Wind Speed For Surfing?

The first thing to understand is the difference between onshore & offshore winds. Onshore winds are blowing from the sea towards the beach, while offshore winds are coming from the beach towards the sea. The latter are typically more attractive for surfing sessions as it slows down the breaking of waves, meaning you’ll generally get a bigger wave before it breaks.

There isn’t a specific answer to this question as it depends on a ton of variants. However, for the purpose of giving you a quick number I’ll give it a go.

In a perfect world, the wind that creates the waves will happen far away, and there’ll be no wind at all once the waves arrive on your beach. But, assuming that perfect scenario doesn’t arrive, an offshore wind of up to ~15mph could make for a great day on the waves. Any more can make it difficult to paddle into waves and generate speed.

How To Measure Wind For The Best Waves

While you can Google for various surf forecasts (which is useful & recommended), you may not get up-to-date and specific information for your location. There will never be a replacement for simply measuring the exact windspeed yourself on the day, with a handheld anemometer. Here are a few popular options to check out from Amazon.

Last update on 2024-03-29

Now that’s out of the way, let’s get back to it: how to read the wind for the best waves.

Basic Wave Mechanics

Wind occurs when warm, low-pressure air rises and cooler, high-pressure air rushes in to take its place. This may occur between warmer and cooler regions across the entire ocean basin, but the effect is also observed closer to shore. As the rocky continental mass of the land is warmed daily by the sun, it heats the air over and around it.

The air over the land is warmed during the day, and when it rises, cooler air from over the sea rushes in to replace it. The rocky land also cools faster. So, during the night the air over the land will become cooler than the surrounding maritime air, and the winds reverse.

how wind makes the best waves | weatherstationary.com
Source: surfline.com

As wind blows over the water, there is friction between the surface and the moving air, which causes the water to ripple. You see the same effect when you blow on your morning cup of coffee to cool it! However, there is a much greater area on the ocean surface, so there is potential to create much more rippling.

These ripples join together to form waves. The waves are further driven by the winds, growing larger the further they travel. This phenomenon is called fetch. Although the waves may be slowed somewhat by friction in the water, they pretty much keep moving until something gets in their way. Like the underwater shore profile at your local break!

How To Find Wind For The Best Waves

Although waves are formed and grow hundreds of miles away, the wind conditions at the beach have a huge impact on the quality of the surf at any given moment.

An on-shore wind, blowing from the ocean towards the beach, tends to push on the back of the wave. This will blow the top off the wave and ruin its shape. What this means is that conditions in the break may seem like the inside of a washing machine.

wind for the best waves | weatherstationary.com

The opposite effect can occur with an offshore breeze, which blows from the beach towards the sea. Since the wind is blowing on the face of the wave, it helps to shape it into a smooth, beautiful surface which is ideal for surfing.
There are dozens of resources which a surfer can turn to in order to discover the conditions at their favorite break. However, no surf report whether on-line, from the local radio station, or even calling your friend at the shrimp shack is a substitute for actually observing the local conditions in person.

Wave mechanics to find the best waves | weatherstationary.com
Source: surfline.com

A Wind Meter Will Measure Wind For The Best Waves

Most surfers will take a time to sit and observe a few sets before they commit to getting into the water. Although the human eye will provide a wealth of useful information, some instrumentation can be helpful as well.

A simple portable wind meter will tell you exactly what the wind is doing. Surf reports often give two wind speeds, steady and gusting. Gusting speed is the most important since these intermittent blows, which may be twice the steady wind speed, can destroy ideal surf conditions.

One of the simplest and easy to use portable wind meters is the HOLDPEAK-HP-866B-APP Digital Anemometer, which attaches to your smartphone. The app associated with this device will monitor wind measurement in reall time.  Transfer the data to your phone for instant analysis of wind conditions.  The HOLDPEAK HP-866B-APP Digital Anemometer handheld wind gauge is an exceptionally accurate but rugged wind gauge which is very easy to use. This unit is nearly a full-function weather station which will fit in your pocket.

 

 Summing up… (How to Read the Wind for the Best Waves)

Surfers: Learn to Read the Wind for the Best Waves 3
  • Wind occurs when warm, low-pressure air rises and cooler, high-pressure air rushes in to replace it.
  • Waves are formed far offshore as the wind blows across the surface of the ocean. The more wind and the further they have to travel, the bigger the waves will be.
  • Waves peak and break when they interact with the underwater shore profile at the beach.
  • On-shore winds blowing from the sea towards the beach can ruin waves.
  • Off-shore breezes can help to shape waves into rideable surfaces and are great for surfing.
  • Local observation using a handheld wind gauge is a great way to measure wind for the best waves.

 

 

Best Wind Meters for Long Range Shooting 2021

Best Wind Meters for Long Range Shooting 2021

Wind Meters, Wind Gauges, Anemometers… Let’s talk about shooting.

Article last updated: April 2021

Long range shooting is a widely loved sport.  Some of us are long-term shooting fans, while others might have been inspired by the surging popularity of FPS games like PUBG and Fortnite. Given that it’s both fun, challenging, and unique… it’s no wonder why the sport is gaining popularity. In this article, we have some wind meters for long range shooting to help you on your way to becoming a sniper so good you’ll make Hawkeye jealous!

At A Glance: Best Wind Meters For Long Range Shooting

Last update on 2024-03-29

Here’s the thing.  You’ve probably already realised by now that, no matter how well you focus your shot, there are other climatic conditions like the speed of the wind, air pressure, and direction of wind flow that come into play.

For short ranges, these factors are much less important.  The longer the range that you’re shooting, the wind speeds and general weather conditions become more and more impactful.  In order to assist with this problem, “Wind meters” are used.  You may also see these referred to as anemometers for shooting.

So clearly, wind meters are beneficial for use in long-range shooting.  They are ideal for estimating shot placement and to help reduce shooting errors due to crosswind conditions.  There’s a wide selection of wind meters for long range shooting in the market today, and it helps to know their differences so you can pick what fits your budget and needs.

Below, we’ve laid out a selection of the best wind meters for long-range shooting in 2021.

This comparison is short and straightforward.  I hope you find it useful!

Wind Meters for Long Range Shooting

 

Proster MS6252A Digital Anemometer

proster-digital-anemometer, wind meters for long range shooting

The Proster digital anemometer has a multi-unit switching function, including reading hold, maximum, minimum, etc.  It can be used for handheld or fixed measurements.

We love that it has a large LCD screen with a backlight that’s easy to read at arm’s length even with less-than-perfect vision. This wind meter also has a low battery indicator.

Specifications:

m/s(meter per second):0.40~30.0 ±(2.0% reading+50)
ft/m (feet per minute):80~5900 ±(2.0% reading+50)
km/h (kilometer per hour):1.4~108.0 ±(2.0% reading+50)
mile/h(mile per hour):0.9~67.0 ±(2.0% reading+50)
Knots(nautical miles per hour):0.8~58.0 ±(2.0% reading+50)
CFM:0 to 99990 0 to 9.999ft2
CMM:0 to 99990 0 to 9.999ft2
CMS:0 to 9999 0 – 9.999 m2

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Portable and therefore easy to use while shooting
  • Large display screen
  • Handheld or Fixed measurements.
  • Very easy to use
  • CFM ranges between 0 and 99,999
  • Display is backlit so you can see it in the dark
Cons
  • Poor manual and Instructions are unclear
  • Doesn’t measure in MPH
  • Issues with durability

This little device is worth every dollar and is great for long range shooting. It’s portability and easy to use functions as well as its large screen makes it perfect to use in any outdoor setting. This wind meter reads speeds of up to 30 m/s which works out to be about 108 miles per hour, within an accuracy of about two percent. This highly reliable and easy to use wind meter is perfect for long range shootin.

Check Latest Price

 

HoldPeak HP-866B Digital Anemometer 

HoldPeak 866B Digital Anemometer, wind meters for long range shooting

The HoldPeak HP-866B digital anemometer is very accurate when it comes to measuring wind speed.

Its device control has labels of the function it performs, which makes it very simple and intuitive.

This ergonomically-designed handy wind meter comes with rubber inserts on the sides that provide a better grip. Plus, it has a screw hole at the bottom so you can mount it on a tripod.

It also has a big screen, but the digits are a bit smaller compared to Proster.

 

Specifications:

m/s(meter per second):0 ~ 30.0
0.1 Resolution
ft/m (feet per minute):0 ~ 5860
19 Resolution
km/h (kilometer per hour):0 ~ 90.0
0.3 Resolution
mile/h(mile per hour):0 ~ 65.0
0.2 Resolution
Knots(nautical miles per hour):0 ~ 55.0
0.2 Resolution
Accuracy±5%

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • It provides fast measurement for analysis of critical weather conditions
  • Multifunctional anemometer – measures wind speed, temperature and wind chill
  • C/F temperature can be adjusted easily.
  • Max/Min/Average/Current function can be recorded.
  • Presence of low battery indicator
  • Good After-sales service
Cons
  • Come-along Instructions are unclear
  • Backlight timer goes off every 15 seconds which can be irritating
  • Doesn’t work effectively with freezing or below freezing

We loved the part of after-sales support; if your anemometer gets damaged within a short time frame, you can quickly contact and get it replaced or repaired. The seller takes full responsibility for the product, which is rare. The temperature function is a +1, and the built is sturdy and high quality. The only minus that we figured out was that the instructions were very unclear and ambiguous, which can be tough at the start, but you can always refer YouTube for a better understanding of the product. The Backlight Timer has the default setting of 15 seconds, which could be irritating, but it’s pretty accurate and highly sensitive and hence serves the ultimate purpose without any doubt.

Check Latest Price

 

Kestrel 1000 Pocket Wind Meter

kestrel 1000 pocket wind meter

The Kestrel 1000 wind meter is the most basic and extremely easy to use wind meter by Kestrel.  Unlike the first two, this one can be slipped inside your pocket because it’s very compact.

It’s been in the market for about 20 years, and yet still one of the most popular today.  It comes with a protective cover, neck lanyard, and it’s waterproof IP67 (floats).  An easy-to-read, large high-contrast monochrome LCD make it perfect for any light conditions.

 

Specifications:

m/s(meter per second):0.6 ~ 60.0
ft/m (feet per minute):118 ~ 11,811
km/h (kilometer per hour):2.2 ~ 144.0
mile/h(mile per hour):0.3 ~ 134.2
Knots(nautical miles per hour):1.2 ~ 116.6
Beaufort Scale0 to 12 B

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Highly accurate
  • Rugged handheld air flow meter
  • Large and clear display
  • Replaceable impeller
  • All kinds of wind flow measurement units are available
  • Highly waterproof (IP-67)
  • Floats in water
  • Drop tested to military standards (MIL-STD-810G)
  • Includes a slip-on protective cover
  • Includes neck lanyard
  • CR02032 coin cell battery
  • Five-year warranty
  • Can be used in all kinds of adventures and weather conditions
  • Shock-mounted impeller
Cons
  • Less legible from side angles

Even after strong research, we couldn’t find many negatives on this product, and it totally worth every Penny it costs. It is highly durable, and it has protective sheaths to protect itself from all kinds of potential dangers. It’s the safest and smartest investment you can make if you are engaged in Long Range Shooting.

Check Latest Price

 

WeatherFlow Smartphone WEATHERmeter

Weatherflow WEATHERmeter

The Weatherflow WEATHERmeter is a small but very capable handheld smartphone weather meter that’s designed for precision shooting.

Using the BallisticsARC mobile app, it provides a complete on-site atmospheric profile for long-range shooters.  Measurements will show on your smartphone through the app.

It can be paired instantly to your iPhone or Android phone through Bluetooth Smart technology.

 

Specifications:

m/s(meter per second):0.2 ~ 55
km/h (kilometer per hour):0.8 ~ 200
mile/h(mile per hour):
0.5 ~ 125
Knots(nautical miles per hour):0.4 ~ 110
Beaufort Scale0 ~ 12 B
Bluetooth rangeup to 100 ft

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Comes with an attractive apple-like case
  • Solid and well built
  • The associate app is helpful and easy to use
  • A new feature of pressure and dew point
  • Feature of the heat index
Cons
  • Less accurate
  • Temperature fluctuation when exposed in sunlight
  • No warranty

This wind meter has a supporting app that is big +1, but there a number of issues reported for its low accuracy. It is one of the best-sellers with tons of positive reviews, but we won’t personally recommend you to buy this one because the fundamental purpose is not served and it doesn’t even come with a warranty or after-sale service.

Check Latest Price

 

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Wind Meter

Kestrel 300 pocket wind meter

Kestrel 3000 pocket wind meter is not only good for long-range shooting, but it’s become necessarily required for wildland firefighters.

It provides accurate weather data, relative humidity readings, calculates the dew point heat stress index and of course, wind speed.  The device holds an IP67 waterproof rating, and it’s drop-tested to meet military standards.

This all-in-one equipment is portable and can fit inside your pocket.

 

Specifications:

m/s(meter per second):0.6 ~ 60.0
ft/m (feet per minute):118 ~ 11,811
km/h (kilometer per hour):2.2 ~ 144.0
mile/h(mile per hour):0.3 ~ 134.2
Knots(nautical miles per hour):1.2 ~ 116.6
Beaufort Scale0 to 12 B
Relative Humidity15 ~ 95% RH

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Highly Accurate
  • Rugged handheld air flow meter
  • Large and clear display
  • Replaceable impeller
  • All kinds of wind flow measurement units are available
  • Highly waterproof (IP-67)
  • Floats in water
  • Drop tested to military standards (MIL-STD-810G)
  • Includes a slip-on protective cover
  • Includes neck lanyard
  • CR02032 coin cell battery
  • Five-year warranty
  • Can be used in all kinds of adventures and weather conditions
  • Shock-mounted impeller
  • Measures heat stress index, relative humidity, dew point temperature, wind chill
  • Contains certificate of conformity
  • Highly Durable
Cons
  • Expensive
  • The extra small size of icons

If you are okay with spending a high amount of money on digital anemometers, this is the perfect one indeed. We highly recommend this not just because of accuracy, but also longevity. It comes with an assurance of long term support promise, and the manufacturers have provided almost everything that an anemometer might need. We are genuinely impressed with the design, features, and customer reviews. Until or unless there’s a software or circuit defect by default, this one goes perfect. It’s expensive, but it’s a one-time investment. The extra small size of icons is also manageable and does not seem to be a big issue to compromise with.

Check Latest Price

Final words:

When it comes to a technical gadget like a digital anemometer, it can be very tricky to decide which one to buy.  But we dearly suggest not to rely solely on the descriptions given beside the product but also to read and interpret the genuine customer reviews to track the common problems that you should be ready for. 

Although we make it easy for you by doing the tough part and release a soft summary of products that you should take into consideration.  We understand that everyone has their own budget and specific needs.  Therefore, we always put options for the readers. 

Our personal best choice and recommendation is Kestrel 3000 pocket wind meter because we couldn’t find any many reasons not to buy it except for its price tag.  Also, if you cannot invest that much amount of money into it, our second personal best choice and recommendation would be Kestrel 1000, which is just an outdated version of Kestrel 3000, but it’s less expensive and worth it. 

And, if you are looking for a digital anemometer under 40$ or under 30$, Proster Handheld Anemometer and HoldPeak 866B can be a good choice although we don’t really recommend the Weather meter. 

If you enjoyed this article read more on Long Range Marksmanship For The First-Time Shooter.

 

Know the Weather for Your Summer Camping Trip

Know the Weather for Your Summer Camping Trip

A summer camping trip is almost a rite of passage, but it is so much more than that. Camping is a great way for families of any size to reconnect. There will be plenty of space and things to do for everyone to enjoy the privacy and solitude they will need, but they will also be spending time together. The most important factors for a successful camping trip are location and, gear, weather for summer camping, and attitude, and the most important ones are the two that no amount of money can change.

summer camping trip

If you have the good fortune to camp in an area with little or no cellular WiFi coverage, the family will have to turn to each other for entertainment, and will probably be delightfully surprised by how much they like one another.

Learning to appreciate nature is the usual selling point for a camping trip, but the real value of spending time away from home is learning to appreciate the comforts of home.

This doesn’t mean that you should be roughing it. That attitude is OK for military units on maneuvers or boy scouts seeking adventure, but it can sour the experience for some family members. Rather than roughing it, the family camping trip should be an exercise in smoothing it. No, you may never be able to completely recreate all of the comforts of home, but with a little creativity and surprisingly little money, you can come close. Even if you don’t, everyone can have a lot of fun trying together.

Some fear that camping is out of reach for their family because it is such an expensive pastime, and it is certainly possible to invest a small fortune in your kit, not to mention traveling to your camping destination. However, just about every city-dweller in America lives within a couple hour’s drive of a National Forest or BLM land (where it is free to camp) or a scenic state park, and at the end of the day, the trees and the squirrels are not going to care if your gear is old, improvised, used, or just out of fashion.

Take the Weather with You

The most important factors for a successful camping trip are location and, gear, weather for your summer camping, and attitude, and the most important ones are the two that no amount of money can change. Attitude is arguably the most important ingredient, if you and your family are ready to have fun, then you will, but there are few things that can sour attitudes faster than rotten weather.

The weather campers or anyone else for that matter is a combination of wind, temperature, and rain. A more scientifically accurate picture would be wind, temperature, and moisture because this considers humidity as well as precipitation. The thought that your precious camping time can be ruined because of rainy conditions is obvious, but the moisture in the air can make life even more miserable. Conditions that are too dry have a measurable effect on the safety as well as the comfort of the camping experience so it’s better to know the Weather for Your Summer Camping Trip.

There’s Something in the Air: Water!

Know your Weather - WeatherStationary.com 02, Know the Weather for Your Summer Camping Trip

Humidity is a measurement of how much moisture is in the air. We learned in elementary school science classes that water can exist in all three states of matter, solid ice, liquid water, or as gaseous vapor. If there is a possibility of temperatures being cold enough for ice to form, it is probably too cold for most of us to consider a camping trip; cold weather camping offers some unique rewards for more experienced campers, but warm weather makes a better impression on beginning outdoors people.

Liquid water will readily turn into vapor (evaporate) if the temperature and humidity are right, and when it does it causes a cooling effect. This is how the human body regulates internal temperature through perspiration; evaporating sweat carries away excess body temperature. In conditions of high relative humidity, which is to say that the air is holding as much moisture as it can, evaporation stops, and with it the cooling effect of perspiration. This can lead to a dangerous situation with the possibility of heat stroke during heavy physical activity. Nights in a tent can become insufferably long when you are unable to get to sleep because you are sweating all night so it’s better to know the Weather for Your Summer Camping Trip…

‘At Least It’s a Dry Heat…’

Folks living in the East find it hard to imagine suffering through the incredible desert heat of the American West, but the people who live there counter that it is a “dry heat”. This means that because the air is dry, the body’s cooling mechanism of evaporating perspiration works very efficiently. However, for campers, these low humidity levels bring a very real danger of forest fire.

Once you move inland of the coastal mountains, most of the American West is a desert or semi-desert region. This does not mean that there is no precipitation, in fact, many of the most popular areas for camping receive enough winter and springtime rains to allow terrific wildflowers and plant growth. However, as the summer progresses, the rainfall ceases and the daytime temperatures rise, causing all of this plant life to die off and become tinder-dry.

Know your Weather - WeatherStationary.com 03, Know the Weather for Your Summer Camping Trip

All this dry plant matter will need is a spark to burst into a wildfire. Nature provides plenty of these sparks with the late summer thunderstorms that come every year, but the real danger is thought to come from careless campers and other humans using the forest.

The phenomena of thunderstorms are closely related to the concept of relative humidity.

The warmer air passing over the desert mountains can carry a good deal of moisture, but as that air increases in temperature, it rises in the atmosphere. The temperature drops as the air rises, soon reaching the “dew point”, the temperature where the water vapor begins to condense and form thunderclouds. The condensing moisture causes a drop in pressure, and more cool air begins to rush into the cloud. The air molecules rubbing against each other set up a static electrical charge which can discharge as lightning.

Your Electronic Crystal Ball

A little bit of research before your adventure begins can save your camping experience from the worst of weather-related problems. If it is going to be hot and muggy in your region, select a campsite at a higher, cooler elevation. Most Forest Service Ranger Stations will display the wildfire danger for the local area, find out what it is and take appropriate precautions. Keep an eye on the weather forecasts for the area around your selected campsite, and keep in mind that it might be better to cancel the trip than for your family to be stuck for the weekend, trapped inside a confining tent.

The problem with most general forecasts is that they tend to cover a wide region and focus on where most of the affected people will be (the very people that you might be planning on going into the hills to get away from). Mountainous regions where we find the best camping tend to have many “micro-climates” where the actual weather has little to do with what is predicted in a regional forecast. Local data is what you need.

For decades, every Forest Service Ranger Station had a collection of weather-measuring instruments, and a Ranger was assigned to record the readings from the analog instruments and forward the data to headquarters so that the local wildfire danger could be determined. Today, we can get all of the same information and can Know the Weather for Your Summer Camping Trip from portable wind meters. The simplest of these weather measuring instruments, like the WeatherHawk WM-100 WindMate show little more than wind speed, direction, and temperature, which is very useful in making a weather prediction, but more sophisticated devices like the WeatherHawk WM-350 WindMate are also able to display relative humidity information which is used for fire danger calculation as well as heat-index and wind-chill data that relates to weather-related personal comfort, safety and for knowing the Weather for Your Summer Camping Trip.

WeatherHawk WM-100 WindMate – Basic portable wind meter

WeatherHawk WM-100 WindMate

WeatherHawk WM-350 WindMate – Advanced portable wind meter

WeatherHawk WM-350 WindMate

Staying in Touch

It is natural when you get to the woods for everyone to want to go in their separate directions. Of course, mothers who panic if they are not able to track their children’s cell phones may have a problem letting their youngsters out of their sight in the big, scary forest. In reality, there are far fewer dangers for them to run into outdoors away from the big city. Everyone’s fears can be further set aside by putting a set of family band radios to use, like the Motorola T460 or the Uniden GMR5099-2CKHS.

The Family Radio Service Bands have been in use since 1996, and they are very appropriate for families to keep in touch with each other since the UHF-FM bands they use are the same ones employed by household baby monitors! Many family band radios are set up as FRS/GMRS hybrids with 22 channels.

Operating on the General Mobile Radio Service Bands requires a license from the FCC, but the bands which are shared by the FMS/GMRS services are set at a low power on family band radios, so they can be used without a license.

Most family band radios will also feature weather bands that carry forecasts and alerts from the NOAA. This can be important because just about everything that you will want to do while you are camping is weather dependent. This is not to say that you cannot have fun when it is wet and miserable, some of the best camping memories come from the times that the family was stuck together, playing cards all weekend inside the tent. However, there is potential for a lot more fun if the weather is good, and with proper notification, you can “bug out” before conditions turn from miserable to dangerous.

weatherstationarycom-2c4f66.ingress-bonde.easywp.com

Bringing It All Together

  • Camping can be a fun and inexpensive adventure to bring families closer together.
  • ‘Roughing It’ may not be a lot of fun for new campers when learning how to ‘Smooth It’ generally takes a little cooperation and creativity.
  • There are probably great places to camp closer than you think.
  • It is more important for camping gear to be useful than new or fashionable.
  • The most important ingredients for a successful family camping trip are location, gear, attitude, and weather.
  • Camping in humid conditions can make it hard to sleep in a tent without proper ventilation, and high humidity can lead to heat stress.
  • Long periods of low humidity raise the danger of wildfire.
  • Full-featured portable wind meters are helpful for being aware of accurate weather conditions near your campsite.
  • Family Band Radios are useful for keeping everyone in touch when they are away from camp and usually, feature NOAA Severe Weather Alerts.

Coolest Gifts for Weather Geeks this 2018

Coolest Gifts for Weather Geeks this 2018

Note: we published a new & updated guide to weather-related gifts in April 2020. Check it out! Weather Related Gifts For Weather Geeks.

“Everyone Talks About the Weather…”

Being able to share accurate weather data does not seem as exciting as sharing a snapshot. Here’re some Coolest Gifts for Weather Geeks this 2018

A picture is worth a thousand words. If you are going to use real words in a social media post, many of those words are likely going to be about how nasty or how nice the weather is.

Weather is universal, it affects everyone, and we can all relate to it. Think about your real-life social encounters, if you meet someone for the first time and don’t know if you have anything in common, what is the one topic you can always talk of? It is not your Fantasy Football team.

We’ll discuss later accurate weather data, but If you’re thinking about an unconventional way to show the “weather in one picture” you can go for one of the coolest weather gifts out on the market. The Storm Glass it won’t replace your backyard weather station, but the crystals in the glass will form beautiful patterns that will make a good conversation in any room. 

 

Storm Glass Weather Predictor

Storm Glass Weather Predictor | WeatherStationary.com

How about a practical coolest gifts for weather geeks that shows that special person you support their interest in weather and that you care about their safety?  Get a weather radio.

Aside from receiving weather updates from the National Weather Service, weather radios also broadcast warnings related to natural hazards and public safety issues. If you don’t have a weather radio at home, you might want to buy one.

Midland WR-120 NOAA Public Alert-Certified Weather Radio

Midland WR-120 NOAA Public Alert-Certified Weather Radio | WeatherStationary.com

 

The Most “Social” Social Networks

Before the Internet became a place to share cute cat videos and pictures of the great pancakes you had for breakfast, it was a place for sharing valuable information. That spirit lives on with Personal Weather Station Networks. PWSNs link the data from hundreds, even thousands of personal weather stations that contains coolest gifts for weather geeks across the country and around the world. By combining the data provided by this community of amateur scientists, forecasts of unprecedented accuracy and timeliness are possible.

All you need to join a PWSN is a stable Internet connection and a reliable, automated personal weather station like the Weatherhawk 916 Wireless.\

 

WeatherHawk 916 Wireless


WeatherHawk 916 Wireless | WeatherStationary.com

If you need something more “budget-friendly” our next pick would be the AcuRite 01024 Pro Weather Station. It’s wireless, and it comes with Lightning Detector, HD Display, Rain Gauge, Wind Speed and Direction, Temperature & Humidity Sensor.

 

AcuRite 01024 Pro Weather Station 

 
AcuRite 01024 Pro Weather Station | coolest gifts for weather geeks| WeatherStationary.com

Wireless Technology

In a previous article, we discussed the advantages of Cabled Weather Stations. However, if you don’t want to get “entangled” and you’re looking for the latest technology, a wireless Weather Station is what you need. You have to mount it in a location where it gets full exposure to the weather and align with True North, and the single unit construction makes this simple. The solar backup power means it is reliable and worry-free once you install it, and the 1000′ transmission range allows significant freedom in installation choices.

The data displayed on the HD screen base station provides an easy to understand graphics of current conditions as well as a running record of past trends, which is very useful for gardening and landscaping, as well as telling you whether you will want a sweater for your evening walk.

Take the Weather with You

A personal weather station will do a reading of local conditions at home, and PWSNs give conditions at specific locations, but what about the weather where you want to go out and play?

It doesn’t matter if you go outside to play golf, hike through the mountain, windsurf, picnic, paraglide, B.A.S.E. jump or birdwatch, current weather conditions at your location have a direct bearing on the success of your adventure.

The WeatherHawk WM-350 is a fully-functional weather station that you can carry in your pocket. In an instant, you can get an up-to-date using it as an instrument to measure wind speed, direction, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, wind chill or heat index, altitude, and air density, all from a handy device that fits in your pocket.

 

WeatherHawk WM-350 | coolest gifts for weather geeks | WeatherStationary.com

The WeatherHawk WM-350, along with other portable wind meters, weather measuring instruments, are available in Amazon. However, regardless of your choice, don’t forget to take your eyes from that tiny screen and go outdoors. Nature is amazing!

 
 
 
Manuals & Guides

Manuals & Guides

You can download PDF files of Manuals and Guides for weather stations, handheld wind meter, weatherlink data loggers amd emergency radios below.

Davis Vantage Vue 6250

Quick Setup Guide

Quick Reference Guide

Specifications

Features Sheet

Wireless Console Manual

ISS Manual

Guia de Referencia Rapida Espanol

 

Handheld Wind Meters

Handheld wind meters Manual | weatherstationary.com

Turbometer 271 Product Manual

Skymaster SM-28 Product Manual

Skymate SM-19 Product Manual

Skymate SM-18 Product Manual

Windmate WM-100 / WM-200 / WM-300 Product Manual

Windmate WM-350 Product Manual

Davis WeatherLink® 6510/ 6520 Data Loggers

Davis-Instruments-Windows-WeatherLink-Software | manuals | weatherstationary.com

Instruction Manual

Specification Sheets

Equilibrium Moisture Content

Alarm Output

Moving Weather Data from one PC to another

Connect a Wireless Vantage Pro2™ CONSOLE to Computer

Wireless Weather Envoy connection to Computer

Davis Weather Envoy 6316

Davis Instruments Manuals | weatherstationary.com

Envoy 6316 Instruction Manuals

Weather Envoy Wireless and Cabled Models

Using Wireless Diagnostics

Connecting Envoy 6316 to PC via WeatherLink

Transmitting to a Vantage Pro2™ Console and Weather Envoy™ simultaneously

Vantage Pro2™ Console Retransmitting data to a Weather Envoy™

Weather Envoy with a Wireless Field Station

Wireless Repeater First In Chain Network

Wireless Vantage Pro2™ System (Envoy with Integrated Sensor Suite)

WeatherHawk Weather Stations

WeatherHawk Signature Series Description

WeatherHawk 232 / 916 Signature Series Specifications

Direct Connect 232 Site Installation Guide

WeatherHawk 232 / 916 Signature Series Quick Start

WeatherHawk 232 / 916 Signature Series Comprehensive Manual

Oregon Scientific Weather Stations

Oregon Weather Station Manual | weatherstationary.com

WMR200 / WMR200a Product Manual

WMR300 Product Manual

RGR126N Wireless Rain Gauge Product Manual

Emergency Radios

 

Uniden UN-MHS126 Product Manual

Uniden UN-MHS75 Product Manual

Uniden GMR5089-2CKHS Specification Sheet

Uniden GMR5089-2CKHS & GMR5089-2CKHS Product Manual

Whistler WS1080 Quick Start Guide

Whistler WS1080 Product Manual

Whistler WS1040 Quick Start Guide

Whistler WS1040 Product Manual

Whistler WS1065 Quick Start Guide

Whistler WS1065 Product Manual

Whistler WS1025 Quick Start Guide

Whistler WS1025 Product Manual

Motorola T480 Specifications Sheet

Motorola T480 Product Manual

Motorola T400 Specifications Sheet

Motorola T460 Specifications Sheet

Motorola T460 Product Manual

Motorola T465 Specifications Sheet

Motorola T465 Product Manual

Motorola MU350R Product Manual

Motorola MT350R Product Manual

Motorola MS355R Product Manual

Motorola MT352TPR Product Manual

Motorola MR350TPR Product Manual

Motorola MH230TPR Product Manual