Your phone or smart speaker can give you a general idea of the weather in your area, as can TV weather services. But sometimes you need the weather to be even more local. How about as local as your backyard? Weather station observers, also called weather stations or forecast stations, are devices you can use in your home to get a quick readout on the weather outside of your home. They can also tell you the weather inside of your home. The best weather station observers can tell you both the temperature and the humidity inside your home. These monitors will come with sensors that you can place in your backyard or anywhere on the exterior of your property to monitor outdoor temperature and humidity levels. Plus, they’ll tell you if the temperature is trending upward, and some options can even tell you factors like wind speed. Some options have alarms, too, allowing you to use them as your morning alarm clock.
What To Consider Before Buying a Weather Station
A weather station is a good option for anyone who wants very specific weather reports that go beyond what’s available online. Because they take measurements from right outside your front door, you can pinpoint the exact conditions in your area. But they vary considerably in terms of what features are available, as well as the cost. For example, some weather stations have vibrant color displays for easier reading at a glance.
Some options have aesthetically pleasing displays that make them great for propping up on your nightstand. Weather stations also vary by what metrics they measure. Some can take wind speed, while others mostly focus on temperature and humidity. Many options also give you forecasts throughout the day, so you can plan accordingly.
What We Looked for When Choosing the Best Weather Stations
We looked at options at a variety of price points and compared different features to make it easier to find the one that best suits your needs. We looked out for features like color and picture displays, as they’re easier to read and often more aesthetically pleasing. Plus, we looked at models across major brands. Check out the best personal at-home weather stations to buy.
1. La Crosse Wireless Technology Forecast Station
The La Crosse Wireless Weather Forecast Station is easy to read, reliable, and accurate. It comes with a weather-resistant outdoor transmitter that transmits the outdoor temperature and humidity to the indoor display. This forecaster gives the outdoor and indoor temperature, humidity level, comfort level charts, and trend indicators. The trend indicators will tell you how the weather is expected to change in the coming hours. It’s easy to set up, has a self-setting atomic time and date, and is powered via AC adapter.
Pros: Includes weather predictions. Vibrant color display that includes graphics for clouds, sun, etc.
Cons: Takes 7-10 days after setting up for barometric calibration to be accurate. Unlike the Ambient Weather brand option, this kit doesn’t include wind.
2. Ambient Weather WS-2902B WiFi Smart Weather Station
Like our other options, this weather station from Ambient Weather will tell you the temperature outside, as well as the time and the date. But the reason you pick up this observer, as opposed to the other options on our list, is because you want to know everything. You want to know the rainfall and dew point. You want to understand the amount of solar radiation and UV radiation surrounding your home as well as the wind direction and its speed. For a true understanding of the weather outside, this is the best station to get.
Pros: Measures temperature, humidity, rainfall, dew point, wind direction, solar radiation, wind speed, UV and humidity.
Cons: If you want to mount the weather pole, you’ll need to purchase a mount separately.
3. ThermoPro TP62 Digital Wireless Hygrometer
Get an accurate humidity reading on both the inside and outside of the home with the ThermoPro TP62 Digital Wireless Hygrometer. The affordable hygrometer includes premium sensors that can take readings on humidity levels up to 200 feet away and provide trend predictions. The ThermoPro includes one hygrometer, but customers can buy three more additional monitors that can be synced with the same reader. The wireless digital reader has a large 3.3-inch backlit display that is easy to read. The user-friendly unit has three front-facing buttons that make changing the settings simple and straightforward for users.
Pros: User-friendly design with bright backlit display. Well suited for anyone who doesn’t need bells and whistles.
Cons: The ThermoPro is less detailed than some of the options from La Crosse and AcuRite, and it doesn’t display date or time information or detailed forecasts.
4. La Crosse Technology Vertical Forecast Station
The La Crosse Technology Vertical Weather Forecast Station tells you the outdoor and indoor temperature, humidity levels, and the heat index/dew point. It also functions as an alarm clock with a snooze button and has a precise atomic clock that allows for accurate timekeeping. It has a large easy to read display, a built-in remote sensor, and links up to a satellite for time/date readings.
Pros: Simple and easy to set up. The vertical design is more space-saving than the horizontal La Crosse option on this list.
Cons: Display can be a bit dim and may be hard to read during the day. This display may be harder to read than our top pick for La Crosse units.
5. AcuRite 02081M Weather Station with Jumbo Display
The AcuRite 02081M Weather Station with Jumbo Display provides a vivid, colorful and clear reading of the current weather temperature that will keep users informed of the changing weather pattern around them. The AcuRite includes an AC adapter with an added battery pack for backup in case of a power outage, which is an important feature since weather information can be vital during these times. The weather station can be set to a 12- or 24-hour display and users can choose from 14 icons to help customize their display. A self-calibrated forecasting unit, the AcuRite pulls data from a sensor that can be placed anywhere on the users’ property outside. The waterproof sensor works up to -40 degrees Fahrenheit and is wireless for easy placement. A 330-feet wireless range pulls data every 16 seconds and displays daily highs and lows for both inside and outside temperature.
Pros: Large, colorful display, a self-calibrating unit with a weatherproof outdoor sensor.
Cons: Difficult to adjust the viewing angle of the unit. Unlike the Ambient Weather or Davis options on this list, this does not display wind.
6. La Crosse Technology 327-1414BW Wind Speed Weather Station
If you’re planning for a day outdoors, whether you’re sailing, playing golf, or simply want to know whether you should cancel a barbecue due to inclement weather, the La Crosse Technology 327-1414BW Wind Speed Weather Station will provide accurate information to help decide whether the conditions are right for your activity. The powerful 3-in-1 station provides accurate readings on temperature, humidity, and wind speed, listing current wind readings and comparing them to past dates. The battery-powered unit comes with a sensitive thermo-hygro sensor that helps to provide up-to-date information. Customers can also purchase and sync up to two additional sensors for large outdoor properties and increased accuracy.
Pros: The weather station includes a clock and calendar, as well as detailed readings on the current and forecasted wind speeds.
Cons: Unlike other La Crosse options on this list, the screen on this display is not backlit.
7. Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue Wireless Weather Station
The Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue Wireless Weather Station is a splurge-worthy weather station that provides accurate and detailed weather information with updates every 2.5 seconds. The Davis is a self-contained weather monitoring system that includes an Integrated Sensor Suite that can wirelessly transmit information to the LCD console up to 100 yards away. The console provides detailed and accurate information on just about every weather pattern users need to know, including barometric pressure, wind speed and direction, dew point, and rainfall. Indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity is also on display, as well as icons that provide information on the forecast, moon phase, and sunrise and sunset. Users can see graphs of weather patterns and be alerted through the unit’s alarm when inclement weather is approaching.
Pros: Highly detailed weather station with information updated every 2.5 seconds.
Cons: The Davis has a high price tag and may include more details than what some users need.
8. AcuRite 02077 Color Weather Station Forecaster
For some, simple is best. If you find that you fall into that category, this is the weather station observer for you. Simply hang the included sensor in your yard to give accurate readings of the weather immediately surrounding your home. You can get future forecasts as well as the immediate weather. Likewise, the LCD tells the date, time and humidity for indoors and outdoors.
Pros: The temperature reading will give you indoor as well as outdoor. The sensor is simple to set up and can be easily strung up in a tree to capture nearby weather.
Cons: Wireless range only extends to 100 meters (or 330 feet).
9. Netatmo Weather Station With Outdoor Sensor
With two included sensors and access to the Netatmo app, you can check both the indoor and outdoor temperature, humidity and even noise levels of your home from practically anywhere. While we do like how other observers have a dedicated display, it is nice that you can check the weather at home when you’re away. But really, the feature that sets this weather station observer apart is its Apple HomeKit and Amazon Alexa integration. While the other options on our list are great, nothing beats the convenience of shouting to Alexa to get the weather around your immediate home.
Pros: You can check the weather around your home from wherever you are with the convenient app integration. Works with Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit.
Cons: Does not come with a large LCD for displaying information.