Everyday my son comes in first thing and asks "what is the weather going to be?". He wants to know so that he can pick his clothes. Granted, we live in San Diego, so the weather doesn't change drastically one day to the next, but I always answer him. We were in Costco several weeks ago and I saw an inexpensive weather station, so I picked it up and decided to give it a try.
I setup it up and put it on my desk. The temperature for both indoor and outdoor seemed accurate enough, but the forecast was pretty far off. The box said that the forecast was 70-75% accurate based on the relative humidity. That may be true in other places, but we live about a mile from Mission Bay and tend to have some moisture in the air at least in the mornings. The station said about half the time that it was going to rain. It hasn't rained in months, so either it knew something I didn't or it was useless.
After a week or so of getting annoyed at it because it had rain clouds on the display when it was perfectly sunny out, I took it back to Costco. I love the concept of a weather station, but I think the next one I look for will only give me readings and not try to predict. I investigated some Internet connected ones, but the reviews were pretty bad, so I haven't done anything.
Pros
- Nice display.
- Works as an alarm clock.
- USB charging port on back.
- Displays indoor and outdoor temperatures.
- Easy to setup.
Cons
- Forecast is completely inaccurate.
Summary
Don't waste your money on this; I think the cheap weather stations do a terrible job predicting weather at least here in San Diego. If you want the readings for the weather, get a device that lacks the forecasting feature as it is just annoying because it is so inaccurate.
Comments
August 19th, 2012
Allan McCormick
We are sorry you were not happy with this wireless weather station.. It is possible significant drops in barometric pressure do not result in rain because of your climate, but in most climates it is possible to predict the short term forecast based on the changes of barometric Pressure. One thing I would like to point out is that this weather station has an internal barometer and the weather forecast is based on barometric pressure changes - not relitive humidity.
It’s also helpful to know this weather station takes several days to acclimate to your altitude and pressure to understand what the high and low relitive pressure parameters. After the devise is acclimated to it’s environment we have found it will accurately preduct the weather more than 70% of the time.
August 19th, 2012
Scott Gruby
Thanks for the correction that it uses barometric pressure and not relative humidity. I did leave it for about a week and a half on my desk and had readings all over the chart. I am still interested in your products that don’t display forecasts, but do simply display the weather readings.
October 21st, 2012
abqgram
Paid $79.95 at costco. Was Soo excioted to find this - went home and read up on LaCrosse. It had good reviews. Made a special trip back across town to buy it. I am in the foothills of Albuquerque, NM.
Waited three weeks so my wonderful son and daughter in law could help. They spent 4 hours setting it up. THE BOX DID NOT INDICATE THE VERY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTALLATION!!!. (How many people have 6 foot above ground poles available to install anything on)??? I have a FLAT roof so had to get posts to mount the wind sensor and the other hygro something up - (it is ‘sposed to be UNDER the eaves (problem - no eaves!), preferably on the north side of the house. Whatever place you choose to install, all units have to be on the same side. So we got two posts and made small platforms for the units. installed them.
ALAS, the wind sensor does not work - and that was the thing i was most excited to get!!! It appears the other units are reading, fairly accurately.
HERE ARE THE REST OF THE PROBLEMS.
To re-set (which is required regardless of the number of non-functioning units) you are ‘sposed to remove the batteries IN ALL UNITS and replace them within a certain amount of time. And apparently also in a particular order. Well, i am 5’3’’ and the wind sensor is on a telephone pole at 6 feet, on a gravel slope. There is no way to put up a ladder against that telephone pole. NEXT PROBLEM: The Batteries in the rain sensor require that I take the unit apart by twisting the cover off firmly, and then, with a screw driver remove two long phillips head screws - from the top side - (the heads of the screws are reached from the top of the sensor. Well that sensor is at a disallowed 4’6” (so that I can do required CLEANING of it at intervals) but reaching the top side of this unit will also be impossible.
I have not tried any of these trouble shooting efforts as it is pretty much of a physical impossibility to reset any of these units, let alone ALL of them.
I had called Lacrosse for help. Waited two days. went back and found that LaCrosse tech help replies take 4 to 5 days for a reponse, unless you email them, which may take 2-3 days. ONLY there is NO email address that I could find. Still have not heard from them. It has been 5 days.
Actually I bought FOUR as major Christmas gifts - will have to take them back - it is such a disappointment and do you think my son is going to be happy to help me with any other projects ????? Not likely!! I feel so bad for putting them to all this trouble - and then to have to return the units - and then - I don’t have neat gifts for christmas either!!!!
October 21st, 2012
Scott Gruby
This wasn’t the unit I got, but I looked at it and decided to not bother. If I do decide to get something, I’ll go with a simple indoor/outdoor digital thermometer.
October 23rd, 2012
Zac Moody
You should check out Ambient Weather, they have a lot of really great weather stations at all different price points. I purchased my there nearly 10 years ago and up until about a week ago everything worked well. It is a good quality piece of equipment and easy to maintain. http://www.ambientweather.com/orwmr200.html
January 8th, 2013
james braselton
hi there scott you have defective barometer i had a compeditor version they sent out a new unit worked perfectly when you have working unit it is very acurate unit i have had forcasting units the first day a forcaster was released