Station
Celina SkyWatch is an independent backyard weather station project based in Celina, Texas. This page documents the equipment, siting choices, known limitations, and maintenance history behind the live weather data shown on the homepage.
The first phase of the project is focused on getting a reliable personal weather station online, publishing current conditions to this website, and learning the full observation workflow before expanding into webcams, ham radio, APRS, or more advanced data-sharing networks.
Current Station Build
The first live build is planned around an Ecowitt gateway and 7-in-1 outdoor sensor array. This allows the site to get online quickly while preserving the future upgrade path.
Station data will be published to this site using a custom upload endpoint and displayed on the Live Conditions page.
The long-term goal is a higher-grade Davis installation once the basic website, data flow, and observation habits are established.
Observed Measurements
| Measurement | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | Planned | Backyard temperature readings may differ from nearby airports due to siting, surface type, and local exposure. |
| Humidity / Dew Point | Planned | Useful for local comfort, storm environment awareness, and comparison to regional observations. |
| Wind Speed / Gusts | Planned | Wind readings will be heavily affected by mounting height and nearby obstructions. |
| Wind Direction | Planned | Direction accuracy depends on proper sensor alignment during installation. |
| Rainfall | Planned | Rainfall totals should be checked against nearby stations after installation to catch siting or calibration issues. |
| Barometric Pressure | Planned | Pressure trends can be useful, but absolute pressure may require calibration or comparison to trusted nearby observations. |
| UV / Solar Radiation | Planned | Available if supported by the installed sensor package and data upload format. |
Siting Plan
Final siting details will be added after installation. The goal is to place the sensor array where it has a practical balance of open exposure, secure mounting, service access, and reduced interference from buildings, fences, trees, and roof heat.
- Mount type: To be determined after final location selection.
- Mounting height: To be documented after installation.
- Ground surface: To be documented.
- Nearby obstructions: To be documented with photos.
- Sensor alignment: To be documented during installation.
- Service access: Must allow safe battery changes, inspection, and cleaning.
Known Limitations
This is a personal weather station, not an airport-grade official observing site. Backyard observations can be useful and locally meaningful, but they are affected by siting, mounting height, nearby structures, vegetation, surface heating, sensor maintenance, and instrument quality.
The data should be treated as a local observation aid, not as a replacement for official National Weather Service watches, warnings, forecasts, or emergency guidance.
Maintenance Log
| Date | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pending | Initial installation | Mount station, confirm sensor alignment, verify website upload, and compare readings to nearby official and personal stations. |
| Pending | First data-quality review | Check temperature, wind, pressure, and rainfall behavior after several days of live data. |
| Pending | Photo documentation | Add photos of the station location, mounting setup, surrounding exposure, and horizon/obstruction view. |
Future Improvements
- Add station photos and siting diagrams.
- Add nearby comparison stations for sanity checks.
- Add historical charts after live data collection is stable.
- Add webcam or skycam integration after the weather data flow is reliable.
- Evaluate CWOP or other data-sharing networks after siting and quality checks.
- Upgrade to a Davis station when budget and installation timing make sense.