How accurate is my aneroid barometer?

Question

It seems to tend to get out of sync with my local weather channel's readings, but then again my local weather channel takes it readings over 15 miles away. In general, how accurate are these devices for predicting weather?

Answer 1

Hi,
The farmers around here use them all the time and we've been so impressed by how accurate they are in their weather forecasts that we've just bought one. So far has been reliable for us.
Polly

Answer 2

I have found aneroid barometers to be quite precise, but their accuracy depends on how well it's been calibrated for your location. This is actually a fairly involved process, since it depends on a very accurate measurement of the elevation at your house. You might try taking your barometer to the location that the weather channel takes its readings (probably the National Weather Service Office) and setting your barometer to match theirs. Then when you bring your barometer home, you'll have to figure out to adjust it for the difference in elevation. That's not necessarily an easy thing to do, you should find details on how to do it online if you're really motivated. If I were you, I'd just use the marker pin on the barometer (they usually have them) to see how much the barometer is rising or falling each day, that's really more important than the actual reading anyway.

Answer 3

Not very accurate. They're pretty much a joke, as you have found out. Even an expensive one like they use in a weather station has to be calibrated every month or so. The best way is using a Mecurial Barometer. But they cost hundreds of dollars. You can make one using water, but the tube has to be about 35 FEET tall. That's why they use a Mecurial one. They only have to be about 33 INCH tall.

1 atmosphere @ 32 F and sea level = 29.92 inch mercury = 33.9 feet of water

Answer 4

Aneroid Barometers are fairly accurate, but you have to take into consideration that there will always be differences due to general user error or human error.

Answer 5

They should be pretty accurate. Any decent weatherman should be able to tell you variances from a standard will depend on how far away you are from that standard. You're 15 miles away so your predictions will be different, VERY different if the weather changes quickly. Also, if the weather pattern doesn't travel over the two instruments, the instruments will, of course, show two different readings (predict two different conditions).