A personal weather station is different from an official weather station because it is set up on personal property by regular individuals and weather enthusiasts. We recommend that personal weather station owners set up the device based on these weather station siting guidelines for the highest accuracy possible. However, that is not a requirement as it is for official weather station siting and setup. Additionally, a personal weather station often reports more frequently than an official weather station. AcuRite weather stations report as often as 18 seconds, while official weather stations report hourly. Get live weather updates with all AcuRite weather stations: Notos, Iris, Atlas, or Optimus.

A personal weather station gives you real-time rainfall updates, similar to weather radar. However, due to the scanning angle and your actual location from the local radar, oftentimes, the radar imagery is not representative of the rainfall observed at your location. With your own personal weather station mounted in your backyard, you know actual rainfall totals observed and measured at your location, not estimated by a local radar.

A personal weather station can benefit you for multiple reasons. It can provide increased protection for your family and home from approaching storms. You can better know when to water the lawn and garden and improve home heating and cooling efficiency — saving money on water and utility bills. Personal weather stations help you manage your home while allowing you and the family to continue enjoying the great outdoors! Here are six reasons to get a home weather station.

If you choose a weather station with a Wi-Fi Display, your weather data will transmit to the My AcuRite app and website. This allows you to access your live weather updates from your smartphone, whether you are home or away!

We recommend that you try to follow the weather station siting guidelines when you setup your home weather station. Generally, you need to set up the weather station away from any obstacles or obstructions that would affect the wind measurements or rainfall data. The obvious examples are: don't set the rain gauge under a tree and don't install the anemometer right next to a building, fence, or wall. You have to consider temperature, too: a weather station mounted over a blacktop will measure warmer temperatures than one mounted over grass or a natural surface. Wide-open spaces over natural surfaces are ideal locations for weather stations. However, we understand that ideal placement is not always an option, so just identify the best location you can! Be sure to read up on our specific guidelines for weather station installation.

When choosing your weather station, make sure you know if you want an internet-connected weather station. Our newest Wi-Fi displays offer internet connectivity directly to My AcuRite and Weather Underground. As for wires and connectivity, AcuRite offers all wireless weather stations, meaning the weather data communicates wirelessly to an indoor display. From there, you can access your weather data on your smartphone through the My AcuRite app.

All outdoor weather devices from AcuRite are wireless to an indoor display. The displays are not wireless. They can run on battery for short times, such as power outages, but perform best when plugged into a power outlet.

Yes, a digital weather station is more useful than an analog weather station. A digital weather station allows you to track, monitor, and save your weather data to view trends and charts from your local display or online. With an internet-connected weather station, you have increased charting capabilities and remote monitoring options through My AcuRite.

No, the AcuRite outdoor weather sensors do not need internet connectivity or Wi-Fi in order to work. If you purchase the outdoor weather device with a compatible display, then as soon as you plug in your display and put batteries in your outdoor weather device, you'll see weather data reporting to your display! It's as easy as that! Use the weather station builder to make sure you choose a display that is compatible with the outdoor weather device you are interested in.

Your personal weather station should be placed outdoors, usually in your backyard or on your roof. Generally, it's best to place the weather station away from any obstacles or obstructions that would affect the wind measurements or rainfall data. The obvious examples are: don't set the rain gauge under a tree and don't install the anemometer right next to a building, fence, or wall. You have to consider temperature, too, as a weather station mounted over a blacktop will measure warmer temperatures than one mounted over grass or a natural surface. Wide-open spaces over natural surfaces are ideal locations for weather stations. However, we understand that ideal placement is not always an option, so identify the best location you can! Be sure to read up on our specific guidelines for weather station installation.

Indoor home monitoring devices are different than outdoor weather stations because they measure different things. Indoor home sensors from AcuRite measure home temperature and home humidity. Outdoor weather stations measure temperature and humidity as well, but they also measure additional weather elements such as barometric pressure, rainfall, and wind speed and direction.

Yes, in a way, all home weather stations can be placed indoors or outdoors, depending on what you want to monitor. However, a weather station with wind and rain sensors is more helpful and useful when placed outside to measure the natural weather elements that occur outside of your home. The most beneficial way to use AcuRite home sensors is to get both indoor and outdoor products. By comparing the indoor temperature and humidity conditions to the outdoor temperature and humidity conditions, you can save money on your energy bill! Simply open the windows whenever possible, instead of running the AC or furnace!

AcuRite has portable weather devices that you can use while you are out and about enjoying the great outdoors, boating or fishing, or cheering on your team at your favorite sporting event. However, AcuRite weather stations are intended to be set up in one location for an extended period of time. This gives you the most use of your weather data and allows you to accurately compare monthly, seasonal, and annual weather trends and record extremes. But don't worry, if you need to move, you can easily remove your weather station from its mounted location and set it up at your new location. Then, simply change your location data in My AcuRite if it is an internet-connected weather station.

For tips on choosing the right weather station for you or why home monitoring sensors are helpful, see our blog!