Meteorological instruments come in many shapes and forms, as do the companies and businesses that rely on them. Weather instruments are crucial to utility companies, hospitals, schools, transportation and government agencies. Meteorological equipment ranges from weather stations, weather gauges, solar radiation instruments and barometers to software and communications tools.

Meteorological instruments don't just help forecast the weather; they also gauge water levels, measure soil moisture and potential snow melt rates, and determine rain and snowfall amounts, dew points and moisture distribution. To aid in forecasting, weather instrument suppliers offer weather instruments that measure factors such as air temperature, precipitation, evaporation, infiltration and solar radiation.

Utility companies need meteorological instruments to forecast inclement weather that may disrupt service. Hospitals and schools rely on weather instrument suppliers for equipment that provides data that help them decide on institutional staffing plans. Government agencies from NASA to NOAA use meteorological instrumentation to forecast both clear skies and hurricanes.

Find online such meteorological supplies as:

1. Weather forecasting stations;

2. Weather forecasting software and communication equipment;

3. Weather alert radios;

4. Lightning strike detectors.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Make sure your weather equipment operates on auxiliary power or batteries so an electricial outage will not put your employees, or your business, at risk.

The official source of Meteorological Instruments is
the Meteorological Instruments page at Business.com