Monday, November 19, 2012

Gifts for the Weather Obsessed

It’s that time of year, and we here at Head in the Clouds Amherst have been looking around at what’s out there, and what we ourselves own, to compile a list of “Top Ten Gifts for Weather Watchers.”* While we sometimes enjoy “storm in a tube” toys, fake snow in a can, and depictions of the weather on paraphernalia like caps, t-shirts, and jewelry, we vastly prefer equipment, tools, and guidebooks that enable us to get closer to the real thing.  So with that in mind, here are the first five of our top 10 picks - we will post the other half of the list later this week (see the second half of the list here). And PLEASE add your own recommendations in the comments section – we LOVE new ideas!


      1. WeatherStation.  [Note added 12/8/2013: The station we featured here in our 2012 posting is no longer available.Check out other Oregan Scientific stations now available here, or see our 2013 gift list for a more affordable option.] There are lots of varieties of weather stations out there, but we quite like the look of this one, which is on sale right now through Oregon Scientific for $169.99. Any good weather station comes with at least one outdoor sensor that sends information (usually temperature, humidity, and sometimes wind speed and direction) back to your main display at home or in your office.  Each model’s price tends to depend on how much information is provided, but not always – you may also be paying for brand, style/size, color, etc.  This particular weather station provides weather forecast, Atomic time, wind speed and direction, indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity, barometric pressure with bar graph, and rainfall reading with bar graph. Best of all, it also comes with three Thermometer and Humidity Sensors so you can monitor temperature and humidity of three different locations from your Main Display. I have owned a basic weather station for years, and refer to it multiple times each day.  If price is not an issue and you are interested in tracking minute weather changes over time, check out the Davis Vantage Pro2 Weather Station ($430-$536) and other models that allow you to organize data through your computer.


      2.   Stablicers.  LL Bean sells these for $21.95, but you can undoubtedly find versions of these all over the place this time of year. I swear by these (I call them my "ice cleats") – not only are they invaluable for hauling garbage cans down an icy driveway and walking the dog on icy days, but they enable you to walk out after an ice storm with camera in hand and capture some amazing scenes. Clueless people will occasionally make some comment about not needing these, as though only people of a certain age would wear them to keep from falling. That lasts until the first glaze of ice confines them to their house (or they fall while hauling a garbage can to their curb). Weather watchers who like to follow the weather will probably have two sets, one in the car and one in the house.


      3.  NationalAudobon Society Field Guide to Weather (North America).  This guide is the most popular reference to every type of weather system, cloud formation, and atmospheric phenomenon common to North America. The 378 dramatic photographs capture cloud types, precipitation, storms, twisters, and optical phenomena such as the Northern Lights. Essays with accompanying maps and illustrations discuss the earth's atmosphere, weather systems, cloud formation, and development of tornadoes and many other weather events. You can purchase it through this link for $19.95 from Mount Washington Observatory, and you can also order this online from a vast array of sellers. 






      4. Self-powered NOAA Weather Radio.  This is one of the more inexpensive versions we’ve seen (at $32.99) – but do check out the features on different varieties before you buy.  A NOAA weather radio is an important piece of equipment to have as part of your weather emergency kit. These radios function as a dedicated receiver to alert you 24 hours a day to hazards in your area, even when the power goes out.



      5.      Membership to the Cloud Appreciation Society. For the weather watcher who has everything except this, treat them to a bit of pure fun. For about $14.00, they will receive a membership certificate, enamel “cloud” badge, occasional emails about cloud watching (from a decidedly quirky and fun crew), and that great feeling of belonging to a group that understands. You can also find other unique and affordable gifts here, including the annual Cloudspotting Calendar (for $16), and the ultimate Cloudspotter Gift Box ($60), which includes a life-time membership, badge, window sticker, Cloud Collector’s Handbook, Society window sticker, and Society mug.

Please add your own suggestions in the comments section, and go to our second "gift list" posting from 2012 and our updated all-new gift list for 2018 for more great gift ideas!
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* For the record, we have not tested most of the equipment listed here, so do your own research before purchasing – and we also don’t work with anyone who makes or sells these items, so our only ulterior motive in recommending them is our hope that our family and friends are paying attention!

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