Home weather station software?

[Tim Vasquez]

Can anyone give me a rundown of the most popular "home weather station" software applications?

I'm looking to create a true open-source weather data format standard (text format; perhaps a METAR or SYNOP derivation) and a free server for the exchange of home weather data. One benefit will be to bust up the monopolies on proprietary servers and formats. This would allow all the home weather sites to be plotted by Digital Atmosphere and anyone else who can code their viewer for the data format.

It would be nice to have something open and universal by spring to supplement the NWS observation network.

To work though, without writing our own weather station software, this would require cooperation from the people who write the home weather station software.

Tim

 

[Tyler Allison]

Virtual Weather Station from Ambient Weather. They already support wunderground.com and the CWOP system.

Have you looked at simply obtaining the data from CWOP?

 

[Robert Dewey]

I contacted Wunderground about 8 months ago in regards to getting the home station data in METAR format (from their network), and they said it would cost me quite a bit. I think having a network of home stations, very similar to Wunderground, with the main exception being the data is in METAR format would be a very good idea... Perhaps you could have: 1) a web interface, similar to Wunderground (though alot cleaner), 2) a file of the reports, compiled into a single file available via FTP, and finally 3) LDM dissemination (universities would probably be interested in your project).

That being said, I used software called "Weather Display"... http://www.weather-display.com/index.php

I'm not sure how you would do all of this though, without the cooperation of the software engineers, or without building custom made station software.

 

[Tim Vasquez]

Hmm.. checked CWOP but see nothing about raw data. I've been at FSL/MADIS, though, and they're bound by all kinds of limitations on the data.

Anyway as rdewey said, there is too much proprietary / ivory-tower stuff going on with amateur data. It sucks that so much amateur data is disappearing into restricted systems that could be used to help everyone during storm season in infinitely different ways. I envision a server that runs similar to the FOS feed, with pseudo-METAR data readily available in easy-to-find files, and no limits, restrictions, or secrecy with any of the data.

I can easily write code to support the different weather systems... the problem would be how to get use of all the different brands to test them.

Tim

 

[Pat Lawrence]

If you could get this to work, Tim, it would be great. Kinda like having a mesonet for most areas of the US!

Hopefully it won't be too hard to set up.

Pat

 

[Marko Korosec]

Tim,
I use this weather software WSWIN: http://www.pc-wetterstation.de/enindex.html

You can create pretty much stuff with it, from raw data to tables, graphs, etc. It also allows you to create METAR/SYNOP format data. Take a look at my weather station site for details, everything there was made with this program.

http://www.weather-photos.net/ws-zirje.php

-Marko

 

[Tyler Allison]

Originally posted by Tim Vasquez
Hmm.. checked CWOP but see nothing about raw data. I've been at FSL/MADIS, though, and they're bound by all kinds of limitations on the data.

The CWOP website doesn't provide data...and yes MADIS does have some restrictions though you can get data from them. I have access but found the data to be research oriented in that it doesn't "stream" if you know what I mean. I found the data to be in format that was not condusive to "real time" use (netCDF). A lot of parsing and conversions required.

You can plug into the APRS-IS network and grab CWOP stations that way using the opensource aprsworld.net software. The aprsworld.net owners may even let you use their database directly if you don't intend to hammer them.

AllisonHouse uses the aprsworld.net software and I have about 3000 stations around the US available for viewing with no restrictions placed on the data. That number does not include the NOAA/FAA/etc METAR stations.

 

[Carrie Halliday]

I have Weatherlink, the 5.51 version. It refuses to let me link with Weather Underground (why I got it). Argh.

 

[Tyler Allison]

I have Weatherlink, the 5.51 version. It refuses to let me link with Weather Underground (why I got it). Argh.

Is there a CWOP or APRS option?

-Tyler

 

[Carrie Halliday]

I have Weatherlink, the 5.51 version. It refuses to let me link with Weather Underground (why I got it). Argh.

Is there a CWOP or APRS option?

-Tyler

I have not checked. I am getting ready to take the first family vacation we have ever taken...will check when I get back.

 

[al pietrycha]

I urge anyone wanting to submit their home weather station observations to strongly consider using the CWOP. The data will then plot at various NWSFOs and are a HUGE help to various operations. Additionally (and I hope this hits close to home) the observations are VERY helpful during field research projects (e.g. sub-VORTEX, MOCISE, IHOP) and various observational research studies (e.g. lake breeze, tornado distribution during landfalling hrcns, etc.)

--Al Pietrycha

 

[HAltschule]

Al,

I am a big fan of the IHOP research project...especially on a cold, snowy day...their Buttermilk pancakes are GOOD.