How to Build a Campus Weather Station from Scratch?

How to Build a Campus Weather Station from Scratch?

1. Preliminary Planning

Determine the educational goals and equipment configuration of the weather station based on the school level (kindergarten, elementary, or middle/high school). For example, a station for young children may focus on basic meteorological awareness, while a middle/high school station can integrate physics and geography for data analysis and interdisciplinary research.

The observation site should be open and flat, covering at least 20㎡, and located away from tall buildings or high-voltage lines to avoid data distortion. The ground should remain bare or have uniform grass cover, with fencing installed around the perimeter and lightning protection equipment in place.

2. Equipment Selection

Manual observation equipment includes dry and wet bulb thermometers, rain gauges, handheld anemometers, etc., for hands-on student practice.

Automatic weather stations (recommended for middle/high schools) should include sensors for at least six elements: temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, air pressure, and precipitation, supporting real-time data upload to the cloud or local storage.

Additional auxiliary facilities can be installed, such as a Stevenson screen (door facing north, 1 meter above the ground), a sunshine recorder (aligned to true north), and an evaporation pan.

3. Data Management

Use data collectors and software that support data visualization (e.g., graphs, reports) to facilitate student analysis. Choose between local storage or cloud transmission. For middle/high schools, consider introducing big data analysis tools to deepen climate change research.

4. Designing Educational Activities

Elementary schools should conduct manual observations at least once a week, while middle/high schools can use automatic station data for research projects.

Design activities such as weather forecasting competitions, meteorological disaster simulation experiments, and integrate knowledge from physics, geography, and other subjects.

Organize lectures, study trips, and invite experts from meteorological bureaus during events like World Meteorological Day or Disaster Prevention Day.

5. Ongoing Maintenance

Establish a management team with at least one dedicated teacher and volunteers, forming a meteorological club to create observation schedules and fault reporting procedures.

Clean equipment daily and inspect instruments promptly after rain. Conduct circuit and network maintenance each semester, addressing any faults as early as possible.