2024's Home Weather Station Showdown - There's TWO winners!

[@theweatherstationexperts]

See our 2025 video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpuwkGlrn9ppd8U

[@baxter2413]

I’ve have the standard Vantage Vue, now for about 12 years. It’s been extremely durable and accurate. The only part I’ve had to replace is the wind vane. I was kicking a football and it slammed the weather station so hard I thought it was a gonner for sure. I replaced the wind vane and re-leveled the unit and that’s been it.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Now that’s a first for me. I’ve seen lightning strikes take them out, not an errant kick lol

[@williamkalbus9939]

I have had a Tempest station for about 20 months now and the wind speed is not accurate otherwise quite happy with it

[@SquarePeg1]

I have a Davis Vantage Pro 2, that has been in service since 2007. I have replaced a few bits and pieces over the years, such as temp/humidity and anemometer but it has been a solid performer.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

A testament to the quality and longevity of that model!

[@neilreid9005]

@SquarePeg1 I knew the execs from Davis- great people who've been building weather stations for decades. I buy one of their without hesitation.

[@steveanimatrix3887]

Been using Ecowitt Wittboy along with their soil moisture sensors for about 2 years now. Have them integrated with Home Assistant, which controls garden pumps based on soil moisture, turn on water pipe warmers when it freezes outside and a few other automations. Love it. Seems very accurate compared to other online stations in our area. Data stays local, but I can access it through home assistant remotely. No data fees that way and I can make whatever charts I want with it going back as far as I have data for it.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

So Ecowitt has a local data storage option? Ugh if so, just posted the new video saying there wasn't an option since davis went to the cloud and doesn't officially support the software anymore. Then i still have the wittboy in a box. ARGHHH.. lol

[@frankgonzalez1879]

I have had a acurite-weather station since 2015 and very happy with it

[@seethebutter]

I’ve had a tempest for a couple of years. It integrates with my Rachio watering system to skip watering after a rain. Great product

[@RayGarza-sr3zj]

I’ve been using the EcoWitt version of the Tempest and really love it. I too have it integrated with my Yardian sprinkler system.

[@ChatGPT1111]

I've had 3 Ambient WS-2902's here in Florida, replacing them about every 3 years, which for just $150 seems reasonable since they endure some really bad storms AND I get to add another monitor each time. When I buy another one, the old displays all lock on to the new station so now I have one upstairs, one in the kitchen and one by the TV couch! Plus I can monitor it and thousands of others nationwide online using the Ambient network from my phone.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

See thats where the fact that they're cheap works out. Question, how is it with the salt air? I have heard anecdotally that opposed to a station like davis, the salt is pretty corrosive.

[@ChatGPT1111]

@ I'm a couple miles inland (west of Melbourne Beach) so salty air doesn't make it here. I know on the far eastern part of our county, it is a concern.

[@bluejay713]

Hi i got the davis vantage Vue only problem so far was replacing the battery that lasted for 3 years and the solar panel lens needed cleaned and restored using a headlight restore kit iv had my weather station since 2017.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Sounds about right. We're actually going to use our Vantage Vue for an upcoming maintenance video. It's been out in the elements for 8 years.. it needs it!

[@bluejay713]

@@theweatherstationexperts I know the price on the sensor went up. I need my humid/temp shield replaced davis use to sale it for the vantage vue i haven't been able to find it on there web site and the battery you can get at kroger its cheaper.

[@life_with_bernie]

My Davis Vantage View system (with the Vantage Pro 2 display unit) was given to me as a gift by a good friend after my old Accurite station disintegrated in the unforgiving Virginia sun. That was 12 years ago and it has worked almost flawlessly since and is visible online as station NT2C. I did take it down, changed the battery, and installed a refurbishing kit back in 2019 when the wind speed display lost accuracy but other than that it's been great. It sits on a mast about 8' above my rooftop and feeds CWOP and others 24/7. It's a great companion to my Flightradar24 ground station (F-KNYG1) and I even recently saw it pop up on a displayed map in a documentary about the Cheyanne Mountain Complex.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

I am not surprised. Probably looks better than that acurite even after a decade!

[@life_with_bernie]

@theweatherstationexperts The Accurate station just disintegrated from the sun. Birds landing on the rim of the rain gauge were leaving gouges in the rim.

[@hotflashfoto]

I have had the Ambient WS-2000 for 4 years. No issues to speak of, but the arrangement of the information on the display could be a bit better thought out. The user interface is a little challenging, but I figured it out well enough to be able to use it. I moved a couple months ago and it was literally just "plug and play". An old tractor currently holds the weatherhead in place, and then all I did was set the display on my desk and plug it in. I'll mount the weatherhead permanently once I find the right place for it, but for now, it can lean on that old tractor.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Oh god, that console. lol. It's like they just stuck it all on there, where ever they had space. It's honestly why I am recommending the 1553 and the ws-5000-IP these days. Cheaper and you're really not missing much with the base station instead of the console.

[@wchougland1]

I’ve used acu rite for 7 or so years now fee for internet access. As accurate as I need, $250.. I got it on sale for around $180. Can’t be beat

[@robertheinkel6225]

I bought an Acurite brand thru Amazon. It’s OK except for the wind speed. Even during our last hurricane in Florida, with winds over 110mph, it never read above 20 mph.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Yeah, when you get on the cheaper end, some things don't work as well. Do like their app though!

[@herbertkoelsch5166]

I have the exact same problem. Here in coastal Massachusetts a nor'easter with winds offer 75mph my Acurite only showed 19 mph as the highest record wind ever.

[@69Dartman]

You are supposed to raise the wind vanes to 33 feet to get acurrate wind speed with the Acurite stations. I have the Atlas and it's not perfect but replacement parts are easy to get and cheap, plus for everything it does price is reasonable.

[@lostlakeOR]

Same here. Milton's eye passed by 5 miles north of me and my Acu-Rite wind speed maxed at 35mph. In reality the wind was double that sustained speed. Also I'm pretty sure it's under-measuring rain during thunderstorms. Many of these stations are not well suited for Florida weather. Anyway, my AcuRite Atlas just went crazy and a bird broke a wind vane so I'm looking for a new station.

[@johnfertsch6839]

I've been hosting Weather Stations for many years, however, I'm surprised to hear the Ambient Weather Osprey 2900 series as a pick, I've been thru three of them and they don't seem to last. I really like hosting my own weather station for knowing my actual close to real time conditions and so forth, however it is hard to keep this hobby up at the cost of these devices. I agree, stay away from anything on Amajunk. I had tried a LFF for about 4 months, and on its last day it said it was 158 degrees outside with 1% humidity and 21.88 inches of rain fell, when in reality it was only in the 50's and had .20 inch rain accumulated rainfall. Maybe one day ill get back to hosting. Really miss having such in the yard.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Hey John - yeah, that is something that I have learned just in the past few months thanks to this channel. TBH, my experience with the WS-2902 was flawless, but it was only up for ~2 years, and from my general read of feedback so far 3-4 seems to be the max lifespan. That has figured into the 2025 ratings, but I'd add that all Nielsen Kellerman stations (any Ambient or Kestrel) have fallen more due to a significant increase in customer service complaints over the past year. It's in user groups and has appeared in my video comments; I just didn't notice it until now. I'm actually glad I held off on releasing the list I did have because this real-world data is just challenging a lot of my beliefs about which stations are the best. I do, however, want to do a follow-up on the KestrelMet 6000, specifically addressing the negative reviews on Amazon, which I feel are a bit unfair. That's not to say that station couldn't be a whole lot better too. As I said to another viewer on a similar topic on another video, I am quickly finding out that all manufacturers have something they just completely "suck" at lol

[@therickmarcus]

2902c for past 4 years. Put it on top of an old flag pole through a rig i designed. Useful for sunflower garden and holiday inflatables. Over 30mph winds we get a warning and remotely turn the yard display off.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

They are great stations for the price!

[@deltonadoug]

Are there any stations that have internet connectivity but allow you to store data locally?

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Getting this question a lot.. guess it's time to do some research and/or a video! I am not sure with Davis now using WeatherLink.com - i think all are internet based in some way. Will investigate.

[@gwerhart0800]

I had an Ambient Weather WS-2902 when I lived in Colorado 2 years ago. The rain gauge never worked accurately, and the anemometer failed for wind above 35 mph and eventually (3 yrs) stopped working completely. We lived in the Rocky mtn foothills where winds were bad enough that we replace our roof once and repaired it 3 other times in a span of 18 years from wind damage. I was unimpressed by the quality and longevity of their product.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

This is what i am hearing far too often especially in just this past year. I have never had problems with Ambient Weather products, HOWEVER, the plastic deteriorates far faster than I'm comfortable with. I have AcuRite stations that look better after a couple years of use. Maybe the mistake was using white plastic, but my KestrelMet 6000 isn't showing anywhere near the same discoloration. So it has to be plastic quality.

[@DSMLivin]

I have the Ambient WS-5000. Its been a great unit.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

We had the WS-5000 as one of our top stations initially. However with the price increase over the past two years, we looked at other models instead. Not to say that the 5000 still isn’t good, just not the value it was. :/

[@SonnyPruitt-q1s]

I have had the Ambient weather station for 5 years and it's been great before that I had an Accurite before and the color screen went out twice within a 3 year period..I will definitely buy an Ambient weather again.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

My experience with AcuRite was a mixed bag. I absolutely love their app and my AcuRite. But the hardware has always been an issue. Even their attempt at a pro grade station left a lot to be desired. at least in early units, rainfall measurements were way off.

[@eaglempire_mapper]

Do you leave it in direct sunlight? Doesn't it affect temperature and humidity readings?

[@theweatherstationexperts]

That's a great question! With a home weather station, it's built to be placed in direct sunlight because the sensor itself is protected from direct sunlight. Now, a basic thermometer, you'd always want that in the shade.

[@duanepegg2125]

I have a Kestrel 6000 for use on my cranberry farm. When it works it is great. But in the 2 and a half years I have owned it the temperature gauge has been replaced three times and it isn't working now. For instance the temperature reading for today shows a range of -15.2 to 139.8 F. And my experience with Kestrel support has been pretty shoddy. I emailed the company on Sept 25th and have yet to hear back from them. I'd like to say this an exception but it is not.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Duane, I really appreciate you sharing this, and I have heard similar elsewhere lately. Actually factored into our ratings coming up as well. What we have noticed overall is a significant drop in customer service almost with everyone, save for Tempest (WeatherFlow). We had a replacement sensor in less than three days after a few emails back and forth. I have not had any issues except for the bug with AWN that caused barometric readings to be off. I'd like to say Davis is better, but even they've seemed to slide somewhat after AEM acquired them (although we'll likely get newer equipment as a result, which Davis hasn't done in 20 years).

[@NMTRUCKER]

My first weather station was from Heathkit some 40 years ago. After that died I have had a Davis Vantage Vue system since 2011. I also have a Meteobridge unit that uses the Vantage Vue data and sends that data to Weather Underground. Our weather station data has been referenced by one of our local TV station meteorologist.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

I'm 45 so Heathkit was slightly before my time (NOT CALLING YOU OLD though, LOL), but I do remember when I first got into ham radio in the early 90s that was right after their heyday so a lot of the older books made reference to them, as well as people I know. Glad to see HK-like companies again now, but for a period of about 25 years we were kinda robbed. I see you have a meteobridge. I am fielding a TON of questions on local data storage. That is an option there, right? With Davis going to cloud based storage a few years ago, I don't know of any from the factory that allow for off-console local storage.

[@NMTRUCKER]

@ Heathkit were really popular back in the 60’s and 70’s up until mid 80’s. My father-in-law built a color TV from a Heathkit. Their weather stations were pretty accurate but there was no storage capability. I use the Meteobridge to upload my weather data via Ethernet to weather underground and I think you can use it to store data as well but I can pull my historical data from WU. When I bought my Vantage Vue back in the day I think it was like $350.

[@colinfitzgerald4332]

I have the WS-5000 and it has worked flawlessly for 2-1/2 years. It is amazingly accurate by comparison to surrounding stations. I have it mounted on an 18 ft pole. Unfortunately, official temperature measurements are measured 5 feet above ground level. So, sacrifice wind direction and velocity for a slight variation in accuracy in temperature. The sonic wind speed and direction sensor is a must for durability.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Agreed. It wasn't on this year or last years list due to price (and partially due to a mistake in math on my part!), but with the WS-5000-IP3, it's the same price as the Tempest, so much more competitive. Was just too expensive there for awhile for most people for what it does

[@eaglempire_mapper]

Sorry, another question 😅 For my weather station type, how many times does the precipitation amount update? Because it rained, but in the display it shows 0mm...

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Sorry it took some time to get to this. That’s a difficult one to answer. Most update every 5-30 seconds. Was it a light rain? May have not been enough to be measurable.

[@uoobwatcher]

I have a Davis Vantage Vue. This is my second unit. Lightning destroyed the first one but the second one was wireless and has been great.

[@halroark1]

Your point is well made and taken. I do, however, need to know the wind speeds and averages as I am looking to install a home wind turbine and this will be valuable data. “To each their own.” Polonius in Macbeth

[@KyDanD]

It would have been helpful if you'd told us the prices on these things!

[@theweatherstationexperts]

This was our first video :) In later ones i have, and definitely with the new one coming in a few weeks. This just took long because it was the first time in years i had edited heh so some things i didn't think of. I look at this video and have like 20 things I'd do differently :D

[@LeonardFaust]

I had a Tempest a few years ago. Worked fine for about 3 months then it started reporting feels like temperatures in the hundreds of degrees. They replaced the unit but then in about a month or two the unit lost connectivity to the hub. I tried every reset in the book, gave up and threw it in the trash.

[@blacksmithden]

Wow. The Kestrel is only $1900 ! Sign me up for 3 ! Ummm....if I'm going to blow that kind of cash, I'm going with a high end Davis unit first. WAY FIRST.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

From experience, there is no difference between the two in accuracy. And the sensors in the VP2 are the same as the Vantage Vue for the most part (there is no difference in claimed accuracy between he VV/VP2, look at the specs). On the high end there are many more stations than Davis these days, and with better technology. Davis really left things go prior to the acquisition. There was almost no R&D. It's getting better but they still haven't fixed things like combining data. Every time I upgraded WeatherLink equipment, I had to create a whole new station. It's been this way since WL.com started. Not having a fix for that after all those years isn't good customer service to long time customers.

[@josephohara7407]

The Tempest weather station allows you to adjust your rain guage to a more accurate reading through the app

[@stinkbait9853]

Been there, done that. Worked with support twice also. The only reliable part of the rain detection is just that, it knows when it's raining.

[@timkasten343]

I got the WS 1001. Worked great until last spring. When it rains the temperature spikes to 104+ degrees or more 😂 The board for the sensor is getting wet. Tried to find another to replace it but they are no longer available. The Tempest has caught my eye. No moving parts! Any thing mechanical will fail.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

The Tempest is great, if you can deal with the rainfall inaccuracies, which have improved....

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Wait i just totally glossed over the 1001... isn't that from like the mid 2010s?! Like when Ambient Weather was still in AZ and a small company?

[@ScottWoodland]

So many things about the tempest unit are great, but it has a hard time staying connected to the hub during the winter often going offline for hours at a minimum up to whole days.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Is it due to lack of power?

[@ScottWoodland]

@@theweatherstationexperts No the solar panel is very exposed, and we carry a full battery charge, or close to it almost all the time. It just randomly drops, and then comes back. But now I"m going to go look at the battery history

[@ScottWoodland]

@@theweatherstationexperts so interestingly, I did go look at the battery power and it drops to 2.1 volts and sometimes goes offline, and sometimes doesn't. So I will watch that. I do like the unit, and its compact easy to install form

[@benbartyzel2388]

@@ScottWoodland I had a similar problem with mine, it would sometimes drop offline at night, and was getting worse with time. I contacted customer support and they very quickly diagnosed the problem (using the device history) as a problem with the circuit that charges the battery. I was still in warranty (just - by about 3 months) so they shipped a replacement no charge. Great customer service, if you haven't contacted them I would recommend it.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

@@ScottWoodland How old is it? I had to contact support about my original one (years old) because it wouldn't recharge. That could be it too, and they are helpful

[@tolson57]

I have a 3-year-old Tempest. I bought it because of its Intergration with my Rachio irrigation controller. I live in the Phoenix area and i needed something that would measure rain at my location and then automatically adjust my watering plan. We get patchy thunderstorms do you can't rely on area forecasts. You need to know if there was rain HERE. The fact that it is not MET office accurate does not matter for my use.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

That is the biggest advantage of the Tempest, it was built with the smart home in mind.

[@randalllewis4485]

My 5-year-old AcuRite Atlas started giving me wild readings of 140 MPH winds and -40 degree overnight temps. We had issues with the indoor screen a few times as well. So, thanks for the good words about the Tempest. Set up, including the hub, was easy and I appreciate that the data looks good whether you use the app or the website.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Actually I have experience with that! Have you changed your batteries? Thats what happened to me right before the sensor suite batteries died. Kind of annoying there's no warning, but that's the symptom!

[@69Dartman]

The temp and wind sensor chip goes bad too and will do similar things if changing the batteries doesn't fix it. They also sell a remote solar panel battery pack so you won't have to replace the batteries again once you get it mounted and plugged in. It has at least 20 feet cable to run to the weather station too. I mounted mine on the south facing wall low enough to reach and read the battery level if needed. It was like 35 bucks shipped. It works with the early version 5 in 1 and the Atlas so good for both units.

[@randalllewis4485]

@@69Dartman I am certain that is what has happened with my unit. The batteries are just a couple of months old. Those tiny solar panels on the Atlas are used to run fans that keep the instruments inside from overheating and I suspect they may be the culprit for failure of my station. The Atlas is more than 5 years old, so I've moved on to the Tempest.

[@69Dartman]

@randalllewis4485 you can order the replacement board with a new chip from acurrite fairly cheap and it just plugs in or you can buy the chip pretty cheap too. I got the board for my 5n1 and replaced it and it still works today if you want to have a backup around.

[@OldGeezerstoolbox]

I second the Davis Vantage Vue--has worked flawlessly for me almost 15 years. And on the negative side of the list, stay away from LaCrosse brand. Their service was terrible when the unit died after a few months.

[@georgew8586]

For number of years I had a Davis weather station in the backyard, HOA frowned on it in the front yard. Always had difficulty with true wind speeds back there, eventually the rain gauge died. I replaced it with the tempest, initially in the backyard too, I then moved it to the front yard, no complaints from the HOA. My thoughts for others make sure it has line of site for wifi access, also because I live outside of Seattle, limited sunshine in the winter, can go 2 weeks where batteries run out, like to see a model with better batteries storage for low light level periods, December thru February.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

I honestly don't think I'd ever be able to live in an HOA. Besides our weather stations, I have also been testing robot lawnmowers. While it's a source of humor for our block (jeez ed what are you testing now?), not sure an HOA would find it that funny. :D

[@sterlgirlceline]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🏆Thank you so much for this!!! 👏🏻👏🏻😊

[@mikel9741]

I have two PWS', a WS-4000 which I really like, and a Vantage Vue. I've had the VV for about nine years now and have only had to replace the anemometer and polish out the haze in the solar panel window. Otherwise, it has performed flawlessly. I suppose if I had to find something I didn't like, it's having to replace the battery in the VV. They're a specialty batter and kinda spendy. Long winter nights and lots of cloudiness seem to burn them up faster. But anyway, both of these PWS' have performed very well for me and I'm totally satisfied with both.

[@davidgilhousen8191]

Almost every clip here shows an automatic wx. station surrounded by trees. Why get one if you don't have a place to cite it properly? Unless you have a big piece of property - very difficult to measure winds. I'm happy with just a thermometer/hygrometer in a pagoda located in deep shade and a rain gauge mounted on a fence whose opening is almost a foot above the fence.

[@jk9086]

Running the Ambient 2902 after our Vantage Vue was taken out by a lightening strike. More features on the 2902 at a fraction of the cost.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

That poor Vue! They can withstand just about anything, but I think a million volts is a little much to ask. The only issue with the 2902 is it wont last nearly as long as the Vue.

[@NWMT]

Any reason we all just don’t keep looking outside, and perhaps sticking our noses out the door, to check the weather? Usually it’s quite accurate, requires no added cost, is quite logical and practical and uses common sense.

[@MrGus.1]

I have a LaCrosse Technology weather station and regardless of features, the factory support after the sale is absolutely the best! LaCrosse actually cares about customer satisfaction and goes the extra mile to make sure everything works as it should.

[@ThePbrstg]

Your are very lucky. I have nothing but problems with LaCrosse, haven’t had one last more than a year and customer service was non existent. I could never get devices to log into WiFi and there app never worked right.

[@mikewatson4644]

@@ThePbrstg I had problems with LaCrosse. Switched to Ambient. Much more reliable

[@jondrew55]

I've had several of these over the year including the Davis Pro. Unless something has changed over the last 5 or so years, I think Davis has just been sitting back with little or no improvement to their system, including Internet accessibility. My Davis "blew away" a few years ago in a hurricane and is most likely at the bottom of a retention pond. I may check out some of these others. The Tempest look interesting, but I don't care for its rain sensor technology.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Davis was bought by AEM in 2019. Honestly, I thought they got better! The problem with non Davis is durability. I've found little that compares there.

[@zarfer]

I have the tempest. A bit costly but great except maybe the rain gauge,

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Yeah, that's been a common issue, but otherwise I've had no problems at all with mine.

[@TheRangerBob]

My Davis Vantage Pro 2 has been up and running for 17 years now, reliable - older tech that keeps on ticking. I have a Tempest that has been up for two years. The app for the Tempest is great, user friendly and packed with good information. The only weakness, I have to use the power booster battery pack during the winter months. For accurate precipitation readings, I use the new TROPO manual rain gauge which is very accurate.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

The TROPO is like the Rolls Royce of rain gauges! And most people don't believe me when I say the VP2 is 20 years old. I had the original VP when they switched over and they briefly became cheap on eBay. I'd REALLY like to see Davis produce a successor. I think it's past time.

[@Steve_and_Deb_Explore_the_USA]

@@theweatherstationexperts My Dad installed a Davis Digital Weather Pro on the roof of their house in the late 1980s. It was still working flawlessly with zero maintenance when we sold the house one year ago. That's 35 years of perfect reliability. It was no wonder I added a Davis Wireless Vantage Pro II Plus w/24 hour FARS in 2011 to our home. All that has been needed are two replacement fans. There are a lot of us with Davis Vantage Pro II models running WeatherCat for Mac, providing data to local communities via web pages, and contributing to aggregation collectors all over the world.

[@9000ft]

Survey appreciated.

[@YeOldeTraveller]

Any of these work with local servers and no internet required.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Are you looking to store data? If not, internet connectivity is not required for operation, only remote access. If you're looking to store data, it may require a bit of ingenuity and third-party hardware. You'd want to look for weather stations that communicate between the console and sensor suite using RF.. which some still do (Davis).

[@agrisea.original]

Interestingly enough, Oregon Scientific solar powered system wasn't even mentioned, what I have used for years. Personally, I don't like the battery powered systems because in my area, only li-ion can be used due to low temperatures that freeze other battery types.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

I’ve honestly not seen a lot from them recently, tbh.

[@bigchew3149]

I have had 2-3 junk weather stations over the years and i got tired of replacing them every year or so and so i started doing my research & Davis & Ambient weather kept popping up so Davis i would say is The Very Best if Cash flow is not a concern & if you want Quality with out spending 800-1000$ I say Give Ambient Weather a Close Look ! I Did & I Bought a Ambient Weather WS2902C & it has Ben Going Strong for 2 + Years & i Can see my Weather from any where...Soo Cool & I Wish I Had Gotten One Way Sooner to !

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Ambient is a good value!

[@mmaranta785]

I worked on the Vantage view in the late 00’s

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Now THAT is cool.

[@stinkbait9853]

And I don't think it's been updated since then. It's a solid sensor suite, but the Internet connectivity part sucks for 15+ years later.

[@vanderfleet-martin]

For me a must have is an open and free API

[@theweatherstationexperts]

That's hard to come by, as everyone wants to control their own platform. That said, API access is way more common now

[@robertnewtonlektrikpuke9666]

I want a station that stores its data locally/writes to a NAS or networked computer, so I have easy access to MY data.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

I've seen some do something similar with Davis stations... however since they stopped maintaining their desktop software, it's not native anymore.

[@pat8988]

I've owned a Davis Vantage Pro2 for 12 years with no problems, so the reliability is excellent. But I was extremely disappointed when Davis quit maintaining their software for the Mac.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Yep! Definitely an issue for me too with the Vue. But the software is even more important for that with the extra sensors. Happened before Mac had a renaissance too. At the time it may have made sense tho I guess :(

[@pat8988]

@@theweatherstationexperts Do you have any suggestions for Mac weather software for the Davis hardware?

[@Dave-ei7kk]

@@pat8988You should buy a new Windows 11 PC and dedicate that to your weather station and any other apps you’d like to use that aren’t supported on the Mac. A basic one is unbelievably inexpensive when on sale like last Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Maybe shop again around Xmas.

[@kartikeyg2396]

Will the tempest work in india? They're not shipping here officially but my sister's getting it as a gift.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

It should as long as there’s an internet connection! I don’t know of any restrictions but you might want to reach out to support to double check!

[@kartikeyg2396]

@@theweatherstationexperts thank you for your prompt response! I'm also quite sure it will.

[@timchristensen5606]

Curious how these compare to the $40 Vevor 😂 seriously like is it that much better ?

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Depends on what you’re using it for. It’s a crapshoot with any of those cheap cheap stations. Not to say they’re all bad but support is necessary IMHO. Most cheaper models have really bad customer support should something go wrong.

[@bobbymccourt6794]

No WS-5000?

[@theweatherstationexperts]

This year, no. Mainly due to its increased pricing in 2022-2023 and that other stations just scored better in this years metrics (which with inflation, price played a role) But there is now a console-less version for around the same price as other stations, and that is one of the stations returning to the list in 2025 I’m finishing up now, I’ll tell you that. Not that it is a bad station, we focused on bang for the buck so to speak.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

This said, it missed the list by like 1-2 points of the top 5 sooo…

[@jimwhiting8144]

Is there any reason why you cannot simply look out the window and see what the weather is?

[@Core-vu6mc]

I had a Vantage Pro until I found I couldn't upgrade it anymore as Davis had moved on to the Pro 2. I had a Pro 2 for years until little ants took up residence and killed it. I replaced it with a whole new one that has lasted for about 10 years until I had to replace the solar panel/cover and the main board. Water was getting in. About four years ago I bought a second Vantage Pro 2 and put it in a different location on my property. I have four of the consoles positioned around my house. The system has been good but expensive. I wish the main controller housing was more resistant to intrusion. It really isn't water or bug proof as it should be.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

This is great data, and honestly the FIRST time I have heard of this issue on the VP2. Going to do some digging and seeing if others are having similar issues. Did you get the new WL Console?

[@waltbennett5503]

Had an Ambient, but the base station only lasted 2 years. Never get one again. Also, even though I put their 'bird obstruction' collar on the rain gauge, the birds didn't care and I had to clean the thing out every few months. Tempest looks great, but over $300???? And Kestrel breaking $1k? Don't think you're evaluating PERSONAL weather stations at all.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Weather watching is very much like ham radio. Both hobbies aren't cheap. To get a decent station, the average price is right around 250-300. Sure you can get ones cheaper... but performance is going to suffer. Same thing with ham radio.. just to start with a decent setup you're looking at 1-2k!

[@signal12hvac]

ambient weather ws5000 with lots of sensors connected from soil moisture to flood detection

[@fluxfaze]

Weather app works fine for me, especially radar tracking when weather gets wild. It always accurately reports local and approaching weather patterns in timely manner. In fact, the weather app has forewarned me about two tornado events within 14 miles of my home, allowing me to shelter in the cellar with plenty of time to spare. I won’t say which weather app I use but it’s free and very ACCUrate.

[@geraldarcuri9307]

"Perfection of means and confusion of ends characterize our age." - A. Einstein The vast majority of average people don't need and can't use this weather information. It is a very, very rare event when these data would make any real-world difference to the lives of the users. An accurate thermometer, hygrometer and barometer, along with NOAA radio in the hands of a person who knows how to use them is more than adequate. Plus, I've often found that going outside and actually observing what is happening makes a lot of sense. Do I really need to know whether the wind is blowing 35 versus 37 mph? How will my day's activities change if I know the dew point in my backyard to two decimal places? Seriously? Now, if you just HAVE to have the latest and greatest gadgets, and/or your livelihood depends on up-to-the-minute accurate weather information, then these new stations are terrific!

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Oh of course, and I see your point! This channel definitely has a niche demographic. A majority of people with weather stations aren't your average consumer -- most have them for a reason, whether it be farming, storm spotting, etc. But I'd argue that home weather stations on occasion provide invaluable scientific data. Simply due to cost you cannot place observing stations everywhere (the days of manual weather observation have been over since the 1990s), and while not perfectly accurate, these fill in those gaps. I'd strongly argue against they have no value other than what you said though. I thought the same thing about smart watches, but when they started adding in health features I thought, you know, that's going to save somebody's life someday. Weather is very much about the small scale, and is often where the forecast busts. The more information we can get at that scale is definitely a good thing for the science overall.

[@4Arcana]

I have both a Tempest and the 2902. I'd not recommend the Tempest. Strong wind generates false rain unless you mount the thing in virtual concrete. And I mean false inches of rain. Ambient doesn't have this problem and costs much less.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

Honestly, this is why I held off on the 2025 ratings, the feedback! Good thing about this video suddenly getting views was comments like this. I have a KestrelMet 6000 and the Tempest installed (unless I'm testing then it's whatever station that is). As for the rain issues, I did not see that, just the typical issues with haptics (in winds i actually undermeasured). But the issue for me is i can't keep EVERY station up, so while i try to put it through everything, that doesn't always work.

[@4Arcana]

@@theweatherstationexperts I'll add some detail. We have the Tempest installed on the top of a galvanized strongly supported steel mast, about 6 feet up from the edge of our roof apex - at about 8200' elevation, maybe 30 feet from ground. When the wind goes above 30mph (it can hit 80 here in winter), we get inches of rain reported, when the temp is below freezing and there is no rain (we can see that on cameras). I reported it to WeatherFlow, and they suggested removing all other antennas from the same mast and using guy wires. (the antennas up there are how the Tempest can even report the data, as this is all off-grid and remote) There is no chance we can stop vibration on that mast in that wind. I told them their algorithm needed to distinguish mast vibration from actual rain. That effectively ended the discussion. But for us, except for this, it has been perfectly reliable. One outage a year ago, then we upgraded sensor and gateway firmware, and a rock since then. You might try that if you haven't already. But I'd buy the 2902 if I could do it over.

[@wxman2003]

Tempest is the biggest joke and horribly inaccurate when it comes to rainfall.

[@AtTheBarn]

WOW!! What a bait and switch!!! you show the Davis instruments as being the expensive leader but worth it and then slip Kestrel in as "your preferred" and second best and the Cost of that station is $1000!!!! another 40% more expensive than the Davis instruments. This is just a bait and switch ad for Kestrel so I an looking elsewhere for advice.

[@theweatherstationexperts]

You cannot compare the Vantage Vue to the KestrelMet 6000, if that's what you're referring to the 40% difference. These are two completely different stations. The Vantage Pro2 (with fan aspiration) is the same price as the Kestrel and the comparative station. And comparing those two, the KestrelMet has several advantages. I've owned/used/tested every station on our list, and Davis for most of that time. If you said that Ambient/Kestrel's customer support is lagging, I'd agree with you, and is something that is factoring into next year's list. But in terms of performance, Davis isn't the leader it once was. Most don't realize that the sensors in the VP2 are for the most part the same as the Vue, just laid out different (which does make a difference). One thing i can assure you and everybody else is that this is not an ad for Kestrel. And i am very transparent about how I review. These are hundreds of dollars. There's too much of that on the web/KZbin already.

[@mikemuniak4711]

Tell u what ill just walk out my front door and tell u what the weather is for free,and he rite most of the time

[@mray8519]

Nobody lives that far away from a weather station. This just looks like another toy for idle children.

[@davidholmes4088]

We do in Australia

[@theweatherstationexperts]

as do many here in the US!

[@tortuga809]

Rain amounts in particular are hyperlocal. The only way to know how much rain you’ve received is with a rain gauge. You can get a $10 rain gauge but these keep track and make the information easily accessible without having to go read and dump a simple rain guage.

[@mray8519]

@ Ah ha, I see the value for agriculture. Thanks

[@Cbat1]

Ignorant comment