Weather Forecasting Tips
The below table comes from the US Governments NOAA website. It has some basic weather forecasting tips that are useful for ambient home weather stations.
Below is a general summary of wind and barometer indications in the United States. The amateur forecaster should modify the table as needed, based on his or her own observations. Barometric pressures in this table are in inches of mercury at sea level. If you use local weather reports to calibrate your instruments, you don’t have to worry about this because official measurements are converted to sea level before they are reported to the public. A general rule of thumb is that atmospheric pressure decreases by one inch of mercury for every 1,000 feet of elevation.
| If the Wind is Blowing from | and the Barometer is | the Probable Weather is |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest to Northwest | 30.10 to 30.20 and steady | Fair with slight temperature change for one to two days |
| Southwest to Northwest | 30.10 to 30.20 and rising rapidly | Fair, followed by rain within two days |
| Southwest to Northwest | 30.20 and above and steady | Continued fair, with little temperature change |
| Southwest to Northwest | 30.20 and above and falling slowly | Slowly rising temperature and fair for two days |
| South to Southeast | 30.10 to 30.20 and falling slowly | Rain within 24 hours |
| South to Southeast | 30.10 to 30.20 and falling rapidly | Wind increasing in force, rain within 12 to 24 hours |
| Southeast to Northeast | 30.10 to 30.20 and falling slowly | Rain in 12 to 18 hours |
| Southeast to Northeast | 30.10 to 30.20 and falling rapidly | Increasing wind, and rain within 12 hours |
| East to Northeast | 30.10 and above and falling slowly | In summer: rain may not fall for several days In winter: rain within 24 hours |
| East to Northeast | 30.10 and above and falling rapidly | In summer: rain likely within 12 to 24 hours In winter: rain or snow, with increasing winds |
| Southeast to Northeast | 30.00 or below and falling slowly | Rain will continue one to two days |
| Southeast to Northeast | 30.00 or below and falling rapidly | Rain, with high wind, followed by clearing within 36 hours, and by colder temperatures in winter |
| South to Southwest | 30.00 or below and rising slowly | Clearing within a few hours, and fair for several days |
| South to East | 29.80 or below and falling rapidly | Severe storm soon, followed by clearing within 24 hours, and by colder temperatures in winter |
| East to North | 29.80 or below and falling rapidly | Severe northeast gale and heavy precipitation In winter: heavy snow, followed by a cold wave |
| Changing to West | 29.80 or below and rising rapidly | Clearing and colder |
Source: noaa.gov