Having the ability to predict the weather can be a lifesaver during a grid down situation. Imagine if meteorologists could not tell us a hurricane was days from landfall, or what if you didn’t know a dangerous blizzard was on the way. People couldn’t prepare, people may die as a result, so knowing what to expect as far as weather is concerned is critical once the SHTF.
Some people of course, could read the warning signs from nature, but by and large, if people do not get warnings or alerts from their weather channel or local authorities they go about their business. This means many people would not be prepared for the weather crisis, because they wouldn’t know it was coming, which could result in deaths.
Being able to access critical information like pending weather disasters, and to track the weather trends during a crisis could save your life. Heavy rains being predicted can mean flash flooding, rising lakes and may mean rivers will soon flood over their banks, so you do need real time weather information whether the grid is down or not.
Snowstorm, ice storms, and heavy rains can be predicted now, but what happens when the grid goes down. How will you get your weather information so you can be ready?
One way, and a very reliable way to predict your local weather is by using the AcuRite 01036 Pro Color Weather Station with PC Connect.
This weather station gives you a rain forecast, wind speeds and direction, indoor/outdoor temperatures, humidity, barometric pressure, local time, has a calendar, and even comes with a weather ticker and it will tell you how much rain has fallen during a specific period.
You can set it up to send you an alert when certain weather conditions change, so you can adapt your plans to the weather conditions in real time.
This unit does require electricity to power the display, but it only requires 4.5 volts and around 3 watts, so if you rely on solar power the draw is minimal. The display unit can be powered by AA batteries, as well, so make sure you have a small solar panel that can recharge your batteries and power small devices. The 5-in-1 sensor is also powered by AA batteries and Acu-Rite claims and impressive 2 year battery life for the sensor.
The AcuRite Weather Stationuses patented Self-Calibrating Technology to provide you with a personal forecast of 12 to 24 hour weather conditions. Self-Calibrating Forecasting is generated from weather data measured by a sensor that you place in your yard.
There is a learning curve however, so be patient, but this gives you the most accurate forecast available for your location. It takes approximately 14 days for the self calibrating technology to determine your altitude based on air pressure and other factors over this period. After the learning phase, this unit will accurately predict the weather for you, and of course, you will receive real time temperature, wind speeds, barometric pressure, and humidity levels.
You can access all information from the display panel and/or from your Smart Phone or PC. Once you have downloaded the apps you can then share your weather information with others. You can become the go to person if you have this personal weather station by sharing weather conditions using the Weather Underground, which is one of the nation’s largest communities of personal weather station users.
One minor thing I didn’t necessarily like is you have to keep the display unit connected to a PC with internet via USB port to use with the Smart Phone app. Also there was no support to access the system on a Mac.
So for Mac users to use the Smart Phone app or to use without having to keep it connected to your PC you would have to purchase the AcuLink Internet Bride for remote monitoring, it comes at an additional cost though. You, of course, are not required to the use the app for the system to work at home, but only to monitor your local weather if you are out of town or to receive alerts on your phone.
Keep in mind the sensors that relay all of the weather information to the control panel will be in your yard, so there will be some variance from what the local weather stations are broadcasting. Depending on your location the measuring equipment that the local news channels depend on may very well be 20 or 30 miles away from your home.
For example, the weather app on my phone says it is 32° F while the sensors in my yard are showing it is 37°. The wind speed will vary depending on where the device in your yard is located, as well, as humidity and so on, so expect this to happen and realize it is normal. This unit gives you the weather at your exact location as well as predicting what the weather will be at your location.
I have recommended in previous articles, that you embrace certain technology when it is available and the AcuRite 01036 Pro Color Weather Station with PC Connect can be used when the grid is down, because of the unique way the sensors communicate with the display panel. You do not need a PC or Smart Phone to gather any information. It is essentially an enclosed system that can however, be accessed by Smart Phones or computers if they are available. You get the bests of both worlds.
There is some survival gear, and we have talked about this here before, that you may want, and then there is gear that you may very well need. TheAcuRite 01036 Pro Color Weather Station with PC Connect may be one of those pieces of survival gear that you need. Need when the grid goes down, or when something happens and you cannot monitor local news stations nor have access to local radio stations.
This unit is a minor financial investment in your family’s future survival that will certainly pay off. It is well worth the money and it is DIY installation.