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Raspberry Pi Storm Warning

4K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  tech-fruits 
#1 ·
Hi there,

I'm in the process of getting things together to create a storm watch device based around a raspberry pi, a barometer/temp sensor, a LCD screen and python ******. Basically I'm going to have the python ****** interpret changes in temp and barometric pressure readings to output weather predictions (and in particular, storm warnings).

Anyways - I'm looking for a good source of learning in regards to interpreting barometer and temp readings. I've obviously found a bunch of stuff online - but its pretty basic. I'm looking for hard numbers and trends over certain lengths of time.

Anyone know of a good website, or book with such information?

Thanks
 
#3 · (Edited)
My experience with depending on local sensors is that their warning is inadequate. When the barometer and temperature start falling through the floor, you can already see the wall of T-storms just a few miles away. Cloud state and wave patterns require some sort it of quantification too, and they can help when you are well away from land. The hurricane gives you a couple of days of warning with the unusual sea state and barometer drop, but a sailing vessel is too slow to avoid it completely.

Your proposed system would be more useful if it incorporated keyword recognition of text weather broadcasts from satellites or incorporates information from remote sensors. That will of course require an order of magnitude more work. Still, if you want to continue then you need the expertise of a meteorologist. I would suggest you do several things:

1. Review Dutton's Nautical Navigation

2. Review Chapman's Piloting and Seamanship

3. Talk to a local meteorologist. He may have both valuable insights and good references you can read.
 
#4 ·
Thanks for your book suggestions.

I'm wanting this to be more of a fun tool than something to be entirely relied upon. I may feel the desire to put more functionality into it in the future - but I want to start with some decent interpretation at the very least.

Most projects tend to snowball though....
 
#6 ·
Hi.
Spotted this post when monitoring Pi-related Google searches and thought I'd register and chime in :)

Apparently I can't post links without posting several times before, which is a pain, so...

Search on Google for
raspberry pi bmp085 adafruit


You're looking for a result with the title
"Using the BMP085 with Raspberry Pi - Adafruit Learning System"

It deals with using a BMP085 barometric/temperature sensor with the Pi.

Hope this helps
--
Mike Horne
 
#8 ·
Hi.

You're looking for a result with the title
"Using the BMP085 with Raspberry Pi - Adafruit Learning System"

It deals with using a BMP085 barometric/temperature sensor with the Pi.
Yeah - I'm actually working off of this tutorial. I'm somewhat proficient with python, but this will be my first attempt with pi cobbling, breadboards, etc. I am a marine mechanic though, so the electrical side should come somewhat easily.

I've come to realize that Adafruits BMP085 sensor is currently out of stock. I have no idea how fast they are to restock. Sparkfun has what seems to be the same sensor, but upon further inspection, is a little different.

I'm wondering how transferable Adafruits python code would be with the Sparkfun sensor. Anyone have thoughts on this?

http://www.adafruit.com/products/391

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11282

Tech-fruits - no problem doing that. Although most of it is a compilation of other tutorials - I'm hoping to simply polish it off.
 
#7 ·
Sounds like a very cool project! Would you like to write blog it on our Raspberry Pi community site?

Hi there,

I'm in the process of getting things together to create a storm watch device based around a raspberry pi, a barometer/temp sensor, a LCD screen and python ******. Basically I'm going to have the python ****** interpret changes in temp and barometric pressure readings to output weather predictions (and in particular, storm warnings).

Anyways - I'm looking for a good source of learning in regards to interpreting barometer and temp readings. I've obviously found a bunch of stuff online - but its pretty basic. I'm looking for hard numbers and trends over certain lengths of time.

Anyone know of a good website, or book with such information?

Thanks
 
#10 ·
Looks like a good resource. I'll check it out.

I'm basically hoping to create an algorithm that places heavy emphasis on the pressure and temp readings of the last 15-30 minutes, medium emphasis on the last hour, and lighter emphasis on the last 3 hours to output an estimate on weather - and more importantly, the fast advance of an incoming low. Any mathematicians out there want to chime in?
 
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