Analogue weather stations
An analogue weather station reads the weather from dials rather than a screen. A barometer measures air pressure so you can see whether conditions are improving or breaking down, a thermometer gives you the temperature, and a hygrometer shows humidity. There is nothing to charge, nothing to pair with a phone and no software to keep updated.
The range below runs from a compact 13.5cm chrome dial to a 38cm three-instrument panel, in brushed metal, painted steel and solid oak. If you would prefer a digital display with wireless outdoor sensors, see home weather stations. For barometers on their own, browse the full barometer range.
What an analogue weather station measures
Most of the instruments on this page are three-in-one panels carrying a barometer, a thermometer and a hygrometer on a single backing. Each dial works mechanically and independently, which is why these instruments keep going for decades with no maintenance beyond the occasional wipe.
The barometer is the forecasting instrument. It measures the weight of the atmosphere above you, usually in millibars, and the useful information is not the number itself but the direction of travel. A needle falling steadily suggests unsettled weather within the next few hours. A needle rising suggests settling conditions. A needle that has barely moved for two days usually means more of the same.
The thermometer gives you air temperature where the instrument is mounted, which is why siting matters more than accuracy claims. The hygrometer measures relative humidity, useful indoors for spotting the conditions that lead to condensation and mould, and outdoors as an early indication of fog or dew.
Choosing a size
Dial diameter is the practical decision, because it determines how far away you can read it. A 13.5cm instrument such as the TFA chrome barometer with temperature and humidity suits a hallway or study wall where you will be standing close to it. At 16cm to 22cm, the 16cm outdoor metal barometer, the 21.5cm aluminium barometer and the 22.5cm outdoor metal barometer can be read comfortably from across a room or from a few paces down the garden.
Above that, you are into instruments intended to be read from a distance. The 28cm outdoor metal barometer and its blue and metal version work well on a wall you pass rather than approach. The largest instrument in the range is the 38cm analogue outdoor weather station, which carries all three dials at a size readable from the far end of a patio.
Finish and where it will live
Brushed and painted metal is the most weather-tolerant finish and the most common choice for an exposed wall. The 22cm outdoor metal barometer and the 16cm outdoor steel barometer are both built for permanent outdoor mounting.
Wood is the traditional choice and reads better on a sheltered wall, in a porch or inside. The 25.5cm outdoor oak barometer is finished for outdoor use but will keep its appearance far longer under an overhang or in a porch than on a wall that takes driving rain. For a wider choice of wooden instruments, see the traditional wooden barometer range.
Where to mount it
Pressure is the same across your whole property, so the barometer can go anywhere convenient. The thermometer and hygrometer are the dials that care about position. Mount the instrument on a north-facing wall if you can, out of direct sunlight. Sun falling on the dial face will push the temperature reading several degrees above the true air temperature, and it is the single most common reason people conclude an analogue instrument is inaccurate when it is not.
Avoid mounting directly above a window, a vent, an air-conditioning outlet or a barbecue area. Keep it clear of a wall that stores heat all afternoon and radiates it back into the evening. A metre or so of clear wall around the instrument is ideal.
Setting the barometer
Analogue barometers have a second needle, usually brass, set by a knob on the glass. This is a memory pointer, not a reading. Set it over the black needle when you check the instrument, and next time you look the gap between the two tells you which way the pressure has moved and by how much. That gap is the forecast.
If the absolute reading matters to you, compare it against a local official pressure reading on a settled day and adjust using the screw on the back of the case. Most instruments hold their calibration for years once set. In practice, though, the trend is what you will use day to day, and the trend is correct whether or not the absolute number is.
Analogue or digital
An analogue instrument is the right choice if you want something permanent, attractive and independent of power. It will still be working in twenty years, it needs nothing from you, and it looks like part of the building rather than a gadget.
A digital station is the right choice if you want recorded highs and lows, rainfall and wind measurement, alerts, or your data on a phone. If either of those is on your list, look at home weather stations or the digital barometer range. Should you want both, the ACCUR8 Classic AWS200 is a genuine hybrid: analogue-style dials on the display face, driven by wireless outdoor sensors.
Related ranges
For barometers of every type see the complete barometer range, or narrow to traditional wooden, modern or outdoor designs. Standalone hygrometers and rain gauges complement an analogue panel well, and the wider traditional weather instruments collection covers brass, oak and glass instruments across the whole catalogue.