Page 1 of 5 12345 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 63

Thread: Weather

  1. #1

    Weather

    I have had a weather station on the lake for many years. I believe Chuck saw it on the internet and that is how we met.

    I have an abnormal interest in weather as I am outside more than some. It is good for a Fisherman or a Gardner to have some clue.
    I check many weather sites, but by far have found Wunderground to be the most accurate, and most complete.

    https://www.wunderground.com/forecas...ter/KSCWESTM39

    For years I had a station there. After a computer replacement a couple years back, could not get me back on line. I have played with it a few times for hours, no luck. Today I am back up.
    Now I need to rebuild my weather web page as it has deteriorated.

    I enjoy that kinda crap as I get to do it from my porch chair with good music and good beer. Some prefer things like games, but for me, the computer and web are a puzzle type game. I know nothing, do trial and error. I stumble about and some times win -> like today.

    Maybe this time around I will hook in a web cam from the dock to my weather page and yall can see my lake birds (if they show while you are looking).

    Name:  har.777.jpg
Views: 905
Size:  79.9 KB

  2. #2
    I have thought of getting home weather station but I find it just as interesting to try and guess if the forecast will be anywhere accurate. It changes so much it is almost funny. I am pretty sick of all the rain. Looks like things greatly improve after next Friday so I hope that is true. I head to Florida again the week and it looks like the Orlando area will be warm and mostly sunny.

  3. #3
    Been working on the weather web page.
    Since I have no idea what I am doing, it is slow going.

    I want to show the current conditions at my station, but for now best I can do is a click. I'll work on it.

    I was able to steal/borrow a SE radar map as the old one has not worked for a couple years.
    Borrowing a photo or image is easy, but a map that must constantly update is very difficult, at least for me.

    Code from a page for weather service is a billion characters, and my knowledge of stuff beyond simple html is lacking. Things in the head tell things in the body what to do, so you have to figure what works what and delete the right things. Just borrowing one small map and getting it to work is a real puzzle to me. You get one digit wrong and you have a mess.

    My eyes can't take anymore code reading today. This is not the end product, but a good start. Any comments are appreciated.

    I pull these type radar maps up daily as they show what is weather is about and what is on the way. It is handy to have them on one page. This is not a forecast, but the coming reality about to hit your yard.
    Most weather moves up from the south. Good for Mike and Tony is their yards are on these maps.
    Right now you can see there is a rare ice/snow storm in Alabama and Lou. That will not effect us much as that will likely go to the west of the Blue Ridge. Those mountains protect us from a lot.

    http://tugalooriver.com

  4. #4
    CSM
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Toccoa & Clayton, GA
    Posts
    904
    Looks very good and useable for us. You have put in some good work here! Anthony Lampros is also big into weather.

  5. #5
    Got the banner centered and the current weather from my dock posted.

    Tony, here is a link to find your nearest station:https://www.wunderground.com/forecast/us/ga/clayton

    Look at this map and find one near your yard. Most get weather from some distance airport. Your yard might be very different from that.

    https://www.wunderground.com/wunderm...78&lon=-83.401

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Gass View Post
    I have thought of getting home weather station but I find it just as interesting to try and guess if the forecast will be anywhere accurate. It changes so much it is almost funny. I am pretty sick of all the rain. Looks like things greatly improve after next Friday so I hope that is true. I head to Florida again the week and it looks like the Orlando area will be warm and mostly sunny.

    A weather station does not forecast, it gives current conditions. From the radar maps on my web page one can see what is coming.

    Weather does change. The experts forecast (guess) and do a good job. They constantly update their forecast. I am kinda impressed at how good they do.

    Marty, the weather that hits Mike, Chuck, Tony, and me is headed your way. The maps on my page can help you. The jet stream tends to move most of our weather from Atlanta toward Charlotte.

    Name:  images.jpeg
Views: 752
Size:  15.2 KB

  7. #7
    CSM
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Toccoa & Clayton, GA
    Posts
    904
    Quote Originally Posted by AgentOrange View Post
    Got the banner centered and the current weather from my dock posted.

    Tony, here is a link to find your nearest station:https://www.wunderground.com/forecast/us/ga/clayton

    Look at this map and find one near your yard. Most get weather from some distance airport. Your yard might be very different from that.

    https://www.wunderground.com/wunderm...78&lon=-83.401
    What is the approximate cost for me to put in a weather station compatible with wunderground in my back yard?

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Tony Presley View Post
    What is the approximate cost for me to put in a weather station compatible with wunderground in my back yard?
    It is a fun hobby, and useful.

    It is a mistake to ask me a question. I am wordy and on the porch with no one to talk to. I can see wind gusts have reached 22mph. It really rips coming across the lake to my dock. I could surf today.

    Costs differ. Some cost less. More cost more. I have this one for $58 I look at first thing every morning. The temp and the rain is is good, no complaints.
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    Name:  rain.jpg
Views: 659
Size:  27.2 KB
    I like it, very accurate.


    A more inclusive "hobby station" costs more. Some stations you can get online with are cheap.
    Most agree that Davis is more accurate, and more durable. That is all I have experience with. Davis is also more expensive. There are many Davis models. My old one is the Vantage View. It is compact, accurate and durable. You might find a used one on ebay.

    Name:  vav.jpg
Views: 607
Size:  33.8 KB

    You can get it with and without he monitor, but most likely you need the monitor. The monitor is a tiny computer.

    You can get it stand alone for $188.
    With monitor it is $304.
    Name:  vantage.jpg
Views: 613
Size:  67.7 KB
    With the new Wireless Data Collection Hub and no monitor, it is $361 and with monitor is $446.
    Name:  vvvv.jpg
Views: 575
Size:  19.9 KB

    https://www.amazon.com/Davis-Instrum...tag=mozilla-20

    I have had one for over ten years. I have really enjoyed it. For most of that time also had it up on the web, and now do again. You could hook it to a page on your Hiking South, or start a new one.

    It sends a wireless signal to the monitor. It works with solar. It works really well. Mine is on the dock about 300' away. It updates constantly and the signal has never gone down in ten years, no matter the weather. I find that impressive. The signal is strong.

    As with most things, the devil is in the details.

    It works fine with just station and monitor.
    If you want to hook to computer and download the data, you need the software and the data logger $132. The software is a pain, but I like having the data stored in computer. The software provides many charts and etc, lots of fun. The logger hooks to the monitor and usb to a computer. The monitor also has a battery, so keeps working and storing if power goes down.
    Name:  51yi1U5nYEL._AC_SL1021_.jpg
Views: 638
Size:  24.6 KB

    The computer can put the weather station on line so you can see it from TV or anywhere you have a computer. You can see it on smartphone (not mine but yours).

    You can upload data to Wunderground for a small fee. I enjoy that. Wunderground is the best weather site.
    Davis now has a place for free, very good site, so Wunderground for data storage is no longer needed.
    https://www.weatherlink.com/
    I am now sending my data there first and from there to Wunderground. From Weatherlink you can access all your data on line from anywhere. It is kinda like the Garmin watch site. It adds to the value of the Davis Station.

    Keep in mind that I have a tiny, mini, fanless computer that sits on the porch and runs all the time. To upload, the computer runs all the time or catches up when you log in. The monitor stores data so no data is lost if the computer is down. The weather station can upload from constantly to just every 15 minutes.

    This new Wireless Data Collection Hub for $200 does not require a computer or monitor, so $361. Your data is stored on Weatherlink. I guess you need to decide where you want to access your data. I rarely look at my monitor, but need it to get data on line and in the computer. I like this new item as I have good wifi. https://www.amazon.com/Davis-Instrum...tag=mozilla-20
    Name:  6121+BFXk9L._AC_SL1500_.jpg
Views: 624
Size:  39.5 KB

    ========


    The reason I discovered Weatherlink.com and was able to get back on Wunderground was I saw the latest Davis Weather station and was researching it. I kinda wish my old one would break so I could buy the new one.
    It is the Vantage Pro2 ranging from $524 to $1400 depending on your needs. These can do things like UV or even monitor your ground temps and moisture for crops. Maybe I need that to monitor my tomato pots.
    https://www.davisinstruments.com/vantage-pro2/
    Name:  31xThBrAMcL._AC_.jpg
Views: 914
Size:  8.3 KB

    These are all cheaper on Amazon, so check there. I already have a monitor, would not need that, but would add the wifi logger. Actually, I might add the wifi logger to my current station.
    Last edited by AgentOrange; 02-17-2021 at 10:38 AM.

  9. #9
    CSM
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Toccoa & Clayton, GA
    Posts
    904
    Quote Originally Posted by AgentOrange View Post
    It is a fun hobby, and useful.

    It is a mistake to ask me a question. I am wordy and on the porch with no one to talk to. I can see wind gusts have reached 22mph. It really rips coming across the lake to my dock. I could surf today.

    Costs differ. Some cost less. More cost more. I have this one for $58 I look at first thing every morning. The temp and the rain is is good, no complaints.
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    Lots of great information.... I will study up on it and decide what I want to try. I put up a station at school when I was still teaching and we enjoyed keeping up with weather data. Looks like the technology has improved quite a bit since those days!

  10. #10
    2LT Mike Kelly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Clarkesville, Ga
    Posts
    1,346
    Wow! Lots of great information. I have a lot to look forward to when I retire in 19 more months

  11. #11
    Yes. Seems like that is usually the case especially when it comes to snow and ice. I always looked at the weather in Atlanta and Greenville and it was snowing there we got it too.

    An old friend of mine living in Asheville retired as a meteorologist working for the state. He has a nice weather station or at least he did and when I went to Asheville for work during the 80s and 90s we would go run together and often off the parkway on trails. He would show up to pick me up and let me know where the rain was and how long we had to squeeze in a run. He was not a forecaster but in the department where they collected and stored the data for future use. I guess that is how they created the computer models.

    These days in Charlotte it is easy to know what is going on as it rains damn near every day. My weekend runs have been nasty on several occasions this winter. The cold bothers my back quite a bit so anything I do outside in the cold just hurts. As it warms up my back does well. Last Sunday it hurt almost all the way. Started to get warmed up at about 5 miles and I quit at 6.3.

    I was in Orlando Monday evening and Tuesday morning. Monday evening it got to 88. I storm came thru and dropped it to 70 for a while. Glorious

  12. #12
    I see I posted a bad link above -- sorry.

    https://www.davisinstruments.com/weatherlink-cloud/

  13. #13
    Registered Users
    Join Date
    Feb 2021
    Posts
    33
    My brother in law put up a weather station between our 2 houses a couple years ago and it's fantastic. I don't bother messin with my rain gauge any more cause I've got the app on my phone. We had well over 6 feet of rain in 2020 and had to have my roof replaced finally. Storms washed my driveway out and fixed I it by dumpin 16 bags of Sakrete off my tailgate into tread line ditches. Killer job but it worked great. If the waters not comin from the sky it's comin from the ground. Even through the trees. The great equalizer

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Stout Dog View Post
    My brother in law put up a weather station between our 2 houses a couple years ago and it's fantastic. I don't bother messin with my rain gauge any more cause I've got the app on my phone. We had well over 6 feet of rain in 2020 and had to have my roof replaced finally. Storms washed my driveway out and fixed I it by dumpin 16 bags of Sakrete off my tailgate into tread line ditches. Killer job but it worked great. If the waters not comin from the sky it's comin from the ground. Even through the trees. The great equalizer
    History here is the monthly average in "my yard" is about 5". There is no real rain season, over years it averages about the same each month. It is common to go dry for months and lots of rain for months. It would be great to get an inch every week, but it is always feast or famine.

    I just checked with the experts, and Clemson (where they study this type thing) officially gets 52 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

    In the last 20 years have seen Lake Hartwell go way up and way down, but always there is lots of water running out of the Blue Ridge. I got .59 this morning, but could see it was heavy in the mountains. http://tugalooriver.com/

    The deal is not often rainfall, but how the Corps manage the lake. Right now it is down about a foot. They will bring it up the next couple of weeks. Politics manages the lake, not the weather.
    I don't care as to the level, just wish they would leave it at one level so I don't have to move the dock in and out, have to move "in" tomorrow. I am getting too old for that crap.

  15. #15
    It has rained so much here that the park has areas of standing water that I have never seen before. We got more rain last night and today and now the sun has been out for a few hours. Now when it rains even a little part of my yard is a puddle. There is no place for the water to go. It does drain down the side of my house but my sump pump will run off and on for another day as the water moves. We will have 3 very nice days now and then rain Friday, Saturday and part of Sunday.

Page 1 of 5 12345 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •