http://www.extremeweathermeters.com/blogs/news.atom Extreme Weather Meters .com - News 2012-01-03T21:37:00-05:00 Extreme Weather Meters .com articles-5076652 2012-01-03T21:37:00-05:00 2012-01-03T21:38:38-05:00 Nitrous Drag Racing - Don't forget water grains when tuning John Larew

For a limited time we have the Kestrel 4250 Racing Meter combo. This is a great tool used by NASCAR and NHRA teams to gather track conditions such as temperature, humidity, altitude, as well as wind speed.  All of which can be linked to a computer using bluetooth. 

Even slight changes in air density, water grains, and density altitude can dramatically affect a machine’s performance. With the added ability to easily measure and track these and other critical factors, such as absolute pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed and barometric pressure, the Kestrel 4250 Racing Weather Tracker arms racers with the accurate weather data needed to make those last minute jetting or tuning decisions.

The Kestrel 4250 measures relative humidity and calculates dew point, wet bulb temperature, heat stress index, and the humidity ratio—and the patented dual chamber humidity sensor assures fast and accurate readings in any environment.

The Kestrel 4250 has taken the calculations and guess-work out of air flow measurements with automatic air flow readings. Plus, it measures every other environmental parameter and stores over 2000 points worth of information in its built-in data logger. And with on-screen customization, the 4250 can truly be personalized for every technician.

If you want to tune quicker, keep track of timing, density, water grains, and your ET/MPH.  This will let you dial it in on fewer passes based on the data.  

 

]]> articles-4763562 2011-12-01T21:23:04-05:00 2011-12-01T21:25:34-05:00 Santa Ana Winds Top 100 Miles Per Hour - Wow!! John Larew
The press is stating winds up to 102 miles per hour: 


We wonder if anyone there is keeping track of the winds with a kestrel meter?  If you would like to know the exact speed of the wind outside your house, you should order a Kestrel 3000 Wind and Weather Meter.  

Kestrel 3000 Wind and Weather Meter


]]> articles-3631542 2011-12-01T21:13:43-05:00 2011-12-01T21:13:43-05:00 Amazing Lightning Video John Larew  An extremely close and amazing lightning strike.  


If you want to measure distances to lightning strikes, you may want to take a look at our selection of lightning detectors.

Lightning detector measures distance to strike
]]> articles-3994262 2011-09-16T23:25:34-04:00 2011-09-16T23:25:34-04:00 You Don't Have to Take Our Word for it… John Larew Just about everyone who gets their hands on a Kestrel Pocket Air Flow Tracker can't wait to start using it on the job. Here are a few comments from our customers:

"I found the Kestrel Pocket Air Flow Tracker to be the perfect solution to taking the many readings we often need. Having CFM with temperature and relative humidity in such a small package is great! I recently used it on one of my jobs to demonstrate that the air balance had not been done properly, confirming that this was the cause of the occupant's discomfort, not my control system. My name and reputation was cleared… thank you Kestrel!"

"WOW, the Kestrel just arrived  and I powered that jewel up right away and started checking it out.  It has far too many cool things it can do! The Kestrel 4200 is attractive, easy to use, and a great tool for the HVAC contractor!"  

"I use my Kestrel Air Flow Tracker mainly on sales calls - it allows me to take and record the current readings from room to room, and then decide with the customers what we can do to improve it. The Kestrel can also help the install department when they are making equipment 
changes - the air flow at each register is recorded with both the old and new equipment to show the homeowner the difference. It's a handy tool and very powerful for its size."



]]> articles-3994182 2011-09-16T23:25:10-04:00 2011-09-16T23:25:10-04:00 10+ Year History of Quality Environmental Electronics John Larew Kestrel may be a new name to the HVAC world, but we're hardly new to the business of measuring the environmental conditions. Since 1995, designing and manufacturing accurate, durable and user-friendly portable instruments has been our focus. In 2005 we developed the first Kestrel Meter designed specifically with the HVAC technician in mind.


]]> articles-3994242 2011-09-08T18:51:37-04:00 2011-09-08T18:51:37-04:00 Easy-to-Use Data Collection John Larew

Both of the Kestrel Pocket Air Flow Tracker models not only measure the environmental conditions, but they also feature a 2000-data point log that allow users to automatically and/or manually store data. And they're totally customizable, so users can determine what information they want to see. Data can be displayed as current values, in chart form, as minimum/maximum/average values, or uploaded to a PC with the optional Kestrel Interface. And with on-screen tips and easy-to-use navigation, Kestrel Meters are easy enough for anyone to use.

In order to ensure accurate readings when the airflow is fluctuating or variable across the duct, this instrument has a simple averaging function that allows the user to control the timing of the averaging. Because the Kestrel holds the maximum and average flow values, this function is also ideal for technicians taking readings in ducts that are reachable, but hard to see.

The data-logging function allows technicians to monitor facilities in a specific area over time. The user is able to set the logging interval to store data automatically (frequency options of anywhere from every two seconds to every 12 hours), providing great user flexibility. The data can be viewed on the Kestrel's screen in chart form, or uploaded to a computer using the optional interface.





]]> articles-3994152 2011-09-06T14:33:13-04:00 2011-09-06T14:33:13-04:00 How does the Kestrel CFM function work? John Larew To measure volume airflow (CFM), simply select the duct shape that you will be measuring - either circular or rectangular - then enter the duct size, and hold the Kestrel into the air flow.  Readings are automatically calculated and displayed on the screen in either cfm, m3/h, m3/m, m3/s or L/s. The Kestrel also features an averaging function that allows users to measure the air flow for a duct where the flow is 
variable. The user simply selects the averaging mode and traces the duct. It also has a hold feature if you need to take a measurement inside a duct that you can't see - just "hold" the value and it will be frozen on the screen until you can look at it. The Kestrel has an easy-to-read screen with step-by-step instructions on it to, making it extremely simple to use.



]]> articles-3631522 2011-07-29T18:54:03-04:00 2011-07-29T18:54:03-04:00 HVAC & Space Conditions Monitoring John Larew
Measure CFM with Kestrel 4200 meter

Civil Engineering specialties and ratings can use field-proven Kestrel technology to make their job easier indoors. The Kestrel 4200 measures and logs air velocity, air flow (CFM), temperature, humidity and dewpoint as well as heat index and wind chill. The ideal portable, durable, waterproof instrument to use while commissioning and verifying performance on HVAC/R systems critical to personnel comfort and efficient energy usage.

Kestrel 4200 is perfect for HVAC installers testing needsing
]]> articles-3631502 2011-07-23T15:06:14-04:00 2011-07-23T15:06:14-04:00 Thermal Imaging (FLIR) Systems Meters John Larew
Relative humidity and ambient temperature affect the transmissivity of the air and impact the effectiveness of forward 
looking infrared cameras or thermal imaging systems. 

Thermal Imaging FLIR Camera
Many commonly used systems require user input of these parameters for most accurate results. Kestrel meters offer a lightweight, on-the-spot solution for measuring these and other relevant conditions instantly and accurately.  The Kestrel's patented humidity sensor configuration yields unmatched accuracy and response speed in an instrument this size and price.  

Kestrel 4500 provides input for FLIR camera
]]> articles-3630822 2011-07-19T19:18:04-04:00 2011-07-19T19:18:04-04:00 K9 Operations - Search & Rescue, Mine Removal John Larew

Effective and safe K9 operations require close monitoring of the wind speed, temperature and humidity conditions in the area where the dogs are working. Military K9 handlers can carry a Kestrel 4000 in their pocket to enable them to know their conditions, wherever they are operating.  


K9 Operations use Kestrel 4000

]]> articles-3630802 2011-07-17T22:32:47-04:00 2011-07-17T22:32:47-04:00 Medic Support, Personnel Heat Stress & Exposure Monitoring in Training & Operations John Larew
Extreme conditions of heat and cold are a fact of military life. Kestrel Pocket Weather Meters accurately measure temperature, 
humidity, heat stress, wet bulb temperature, and wind chill.  With this knowledge of weather conditions, enable good decision-making about work/rest periods, clothing, and hydration in both training and operations. Because a Kestrel is easy to carry and use, and requires no complex setup, personnel are more likely to take the measurements that will prevent accidents. For medics, automatic logging creates a reliable record of conditions for future report preparation.   

Kestrel 4500 is great tool for medics


Medic personnel in all forces have come to rely on the Kestrel 4000 as a primary or backup meteorological instrument. Unmatched for accuracy and capability in its size and price range, the Kestrel 4000 and new Kestrel 4500 measure virtually every critical weather parameter in the field or aboard ship with no setup required. 

]]> articles-3603772 2011-07-12T20:47:12-04:00 2011-07-12T20:47:12-04:00 Portable Weather Meters Help Increase Drop Zone Safety John Larew Drop Zone Safety using portable kestrel 4500NV

Every drop zone requires close monitoring of wind speeds by the DZSO. The Kestrel 1000 offers the simplest and most cost-effective solution for this need. Costing less than $100 and featuring icon-based navigation to avoid language confusion, personnel can be taking accurate readings as soon as they reach the hilltop, with almost no training required. The Kestrel 4000 and 4500 add the option to log readings with date and time stamp for later report preparation, as well as the ability to provide detailed ground weather reports (wind direction, crosswind, temperature, humidity, density altitude) to launch aircraft.

Kestrel 1000 is low cost option for Drop Zone Safety

]]> articles-3554942 2011-07-07T18:58:28-04:00 2011-07-07T18:58:28-04:00 Expeditionary Flight Operations Depend on Weather Measurements John Larew Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron Weather Flight forecaster, takes a wind speed reading with a Kestrel 4000 

The Kestrel 4000 and 4500 are complete weather systems ideal for forward basing or lake bed flight operations. Both cell-phone sized units measure wind speed and the 4500 gives wind direction and calculates crosswind, headwind and tailwind automatically. They also measure density altitude, temperature, humidity and barometric pressure, and log measurements over time for future reference and trend analysis. Even where CWX personnel are not available, troops on the ground equipped with a Kestrel Pocket Weather Tracker can provide needed landing zone weather data.

Kestrel 4000 for Military Operations
]]> articles-3521402 2011-07-03T22:05:45-04:00 2011-07-03T22:05:45-04:00 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) weather tools John Larew Kestrel 4000 for Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAVs)

Ground weather is critical information when launching and recovering UAV's. The pocket-sized Kestrel 4000 can gather and log the full complement of data needed - wind speed, maximum wind gust, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure and density altitude. No matter how isolated the UAV operators, they'll have the information they need to make sure their valuable aircraft will complete its mission safely and be ready to fly again.

checking weather to Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAVs)

]]> articles-3373142 2011-06-10T19:09:30-04:00 2011-06-10T19:09:30-04:00 Medic Support, Personnel Heat Stress & Exposure Monitoring in Training & Operations John Larew Extreme conditions of heat and cold are a fact of military life. Kestrel Pocket Weather Meters accurately measure emperature, 
humidity, heat stress, wet bulb temperature and wind chill, enabling good decision-making about work/rest periods, clothing, and hydration in both training and operations. Because a Kestrel is easy to carry and use, and requires no complex setup, personnel are more likely to take the measurements that will prevent accidents. For medics, automatic logging creates a reliable record of conditions for future report preparation.


]]> articles-3373112 2011-06-10T19:04:05-04:00 2011-06-10T19:04:05-04:00 Reloading & Ballistics John Larew Whether using a full-blown ballistics software application, or simply recording results of your own ballistics observations, accurate recording of wind speed, temperature, pressure, altitude and relative humidity is vitally important. Air temperature alone affects the ballistics picture in multiple ways, impacting air density, air elasticity, combustion rate, and even air pressure inside the cartridge.  Loads developed at sea level pressure will shoot much flatter at high elevations or low pressure. Ballistic coefficients are reported in standard atmospheric conditions and correction for both temperature and pressure is required to easily yield an accurate BC. Armed with a Kestrel 4000, you can measure and store the environmental conditions for each shot you take, and then upload the data to a computer for later reference or input it into a ballistics program for detailed trajectory calculations.


]]> articles-3323842 2011-06-02T21:35:35-04:00 2011-06-02T21:35:35-04:00 Long Range, Competitive, & Benchrest Shooting John Larew

sniper know your conditions

  "A 45° oblique wind gives a three-quarter value wind speed."  

  " A clump of grass dropped from three feet drifts 3 feet for every 10 MPH of wind speed."

  "The air pressure decreases by one inch for each 000 feet of elevation gained."

As a long-range or benchrest shooter, you probably know and use rules of thumb like these. You know that crosswind, air pressure, temperature and humidity all affect the ballistic coefficient and wind drift of your shot. But estimates and rules of thumb won't consistently yield a small group. Use a Kestrel 4500NV to measure every environmental factor that impacts the accuracy of your shot.  With its integrated digital compass and patented impeller, the 4500NV measures wind speed and wind direction, and calculates crosswind and headwind with respect to the target.  Plus it measures air pressure (actual and barometric), altitude, density altitude, temperature and relative humidity and logs up to 1400 sets of data automatically or manually. 

Serious shooters don't estimate - they use Kestrel. Just ask the US Olympic Biathlon Team - they use their Kestrels before every shot.  Get your Kestrel meter today to see how exactly knowing your conditions can help your shooting!


]]> articles-3308522 2011-05-31T21:01:16-04:00 2011-05-31T21:01:16-04:00 Sniper Training & Operations John Larew Crosswind strongly influences the accuracy of sharp shooting, becoming the largest error component at long ranges. Even medium crosswind velocities (~5 m/s) along the flight path of a bullet can cause 1-meter deviations at 500 meters. The Kestrel 4500NV automatically calculates the crosswind, as well as measures the other environmental factors that play into ballistics performance - temperature, humidity and density altitude. Simply plug the Kestrel's weather data into any ballistics software to calculate accurate windage adjustments. You too can see why the Kestrel 4500NV is consistently on the military sniper's "most wanted" list of desired equipment for sniper training and operations.




]]> articles-3293752 2011-05-28T19:03:12-04:00 2011-05-28T19:03:12-04:00 Lightning Detector, the 1 tool every farm manager should have John Larew Whenever workers are exposed to the dangers of thunderstorms, there’s a LIABILITY RISK should an injury or fatality occur. ThunderBolt helps protect from such risk by warning of approaching storms and giving the affected workers the chance to seek shelter. ThunderBolt lightning detectors provides state-of-the-art storm detection technology.

ThunderBolt® Storm Detector can detect and track storm activity from up to 75 miles. You'll never be surprised by an approaching storm again. ThunderBolt detects storm activity in real time, without using any outside weather information source, and continuously provides precise updates of the storm's progression. ThunderBolt provides the user with the Estimated Time of Arrival as well as lets you know when it's safe to resume work activities -- minimizing actual downtime. 

Fact is, lightning can strike from 8 miles away, long before you can hear thunder or see lightning. The SAFETY RISK from dangerous thunderstorms is taking action too late. ThunderBolt, with over 50 text screens, tracks storms and warns users in time to reach cover long before they are within the deadly strike range. The SAFETY RISK is removed because the guesswork has been eliminated.

ThunderBolt maximizes PRODUCTIVITY. With its specificity about when to take cover and when to resume work. ThunderBolt maximizes productive time and minimizes lost time resulting from guesswork.

There are several models of ThunderBolt meters.  We recommend two models.  If you have a central office on the farm and can notify all staff working on the farm anytime during the day we recommend the ThunderBolt Desktop Set.  Purchase one and plug it in and it will alert you to when your farm is in potential danger.  If you don't have an easy way to notify staff or have staff working at various farms, we recommend the ThunderBolt Utility.  The Utility model is a lightweight, hand-held device that can be mounted in a vechile or equipment cab.  
  ]]> articles-3249222 2011-05-20T15:40:07-04:00 2011-05-20T15:40:07-04:00 Storm Chasing Vacation - No Tornados, Better Luck Next Year John Larew
This week had promise most days, but then the cirrus clouds would move in and take away the heat which was needed to form the storms necessary for a tornado. We had some thunderstorms, but nothing with too much magnitude. I guess it wasn't our year for a tornado. I read a report that it has been since May, 1984 that Kansas hasn't had a tornado as late as this date in May. I guess it is good for the people of Kansas.

discuss storms


We were in Burlington, Co. and ran into the Weather Channel at our rest break. It was good to talk to the star of the show and it was interesting to see their satellite truck. We found we had some mutual friends from the weather channel when we chased with Mike Forrester. 

Weather Channel Satellite Truck

Weather Channel - Great Tornado Hunt


We have been in Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and passed through Texas during our trip. We will be heading back to Oklahoma city today, and after losing my cell phone in a field taking lightning photos, it will be good to have a replacement waiting for me at the hotel. 


Texas Lightning Storm

Better luck next year!!

John
]]> articles-3209002 2011-05-13T17:58:41-04:00 2011-05-13T18:07:24-04:00 Storm Chasing Vacation - Tornado Intercept Vehicle, Hail, and Tornado Alley John Larew
This week has been pretty sparse as to severe storms. We have traveled quite a few thousands of miles following any possibility of a storm through Tornado Alley. We have traveled to South Dakota near the Badlands, into Nebraska, and then back to the Oklahoma/Arkansas border. We have seen several storms along the way, but the most severe was on Thursday (5/12) in the town of Hanson, Oklahoma. After the storm we headed to Hayes, Kansas and called it a day.  In the morning we found that Sean Casey and the Tornado Intercept Vehicle (TIV) team were at the some motel. We were able to talk with Sean and take pictures of the TIV (seen below). 

Exterior of Tornado Intercept Vehicle

Interior of Tornado Intercept Vehicle

We then left and headed out for about a 500 mile drive to Hanson, OK area, and were about the only chasers in the area. We found a weak system with slow rotation. 

Harmon Oklahoma

We drove up the road about 2 miles and found large hail, about golf ball size. (see below)

Golf Ball Sized Hail

We spent Thursday (5/12) night in Ft. Smith, AR where we had the rest of the storm come through dropping about 4 inches of rain.

We are heading back to Oklahoma City today (5/13), as there is nothing to chase. Some of our friends will head back home to Boston, MA and a new member will join us.

John

Storm Chasing Team



If you are planning a storm chasing trip, please consider purchasing at Kestrel 4000 to take along so you can have accurate information on the storm where you are spotting.  

Kestrel 4000 for Storm Chasing
]]> articles-3197622 2011-05-11T20:01:18-04:00 2011-05-11T20:01:18-04:00 A funny joke heard while storm chasing! John Larew  

A band director was standing outside on a metal ladder during a concert, when a thunderstorm broke out.

Amazingly, he wasn't hit by lightning, but the music was awful - it seems he just wasn't a very good conductor. 

high school band lightning



Maybe a Thunderbolt Lightning Detector would let him know the thunderstorm was coming:)
]]> articles-3177542 2011-05-09T11:30:32-04:00 2011-05-26T12:26:44-04:00 Storm Chasing Vacation - Traveling to Tornado Alley‏ John Larew  


We have a member of Extreme Weather Meters .com taking a vacation and going on a storm chasing trip across the United States of America.  We will provide a blog update as he travels across the country looking for Tornados and other amazing storms.

I left on a Thursday morning during the wee hours of the morning hoping to avoid traffic problems later in the day. I had planned to do some sightseeing along the way.  This will help break my 1100 mile trip into 3 days instead of 2 days as I would normally have driven. The first day put me in Buffalo, Tn. which is near Waverly, Tn. and home and museum to the Loretta Lynn ranch. After getting to Buffalo, I set out for Hurricane Mills, Tn. to see the museum and home, and came upon numerous flooded areas from the remnants of the storm 2 weeks earlier that killed numerous people in North Carolina with the tornadoes there.

Flooded Creek
I found numerous fields flooded and the creeks were rivers.

The adjoining fields along Duck river were flooded and the herons were the only one seeming to enjoy the fields. After touring and looking at the creeks/fields, I headed back to the hotel and local news were reporting that there was a detour on I40 that was about 2 1/2 hours longer to the trip. It was strange to be on I40 near the Tennessee/Arkansas border with no traffic. As we were detoured, the creeks/rivers were way over their banks and within 3 feet of the roadway we were driving on. We saw where numerous people had pulled their vehicles to the highest point of their property just to get them out of the water. We got to Worden, Arkansas and saw some of the flooding that took people's homes.

 

floods cover half garage area
A house with garage area where floods had covered about 1/2 of the garage area.

house surrounded by sand bags keeping flood out
An island in the flooding - sandbagging appeared to have kept the water back from the house.

Chruch providing sand bags and relief from flood
Church in Worden, Ark where the people had come for relief and to fill sand bags.
The water was within 3 feet of the church on the back right side of the picture. 

After getting to Little Rock, Arkansas for the night, I heard that they were closing more of the interstate as of 3pm that afternoon due to the flooding. I was glad I had come a little earlier and missed the flooding.  The rest of the trip was uneventful and making the final destination on Saturday about 1:30 and 90° temperatures in Oklahoma City, OK. We leave out tomorrow for Nebraska, with most of the day being for travel.

If you would like to keep up me, I am on the spotter network while we travel and I have battery power. If you want to follow, it is http://www.spotternetwork.org/google.php and I am listed under JohnLarew when you click on the green dot.

 

 

]]> articles-3137052 2011-05-02T19:03:20-04:00 2011-05-26T12:26:44-04:00 When is the right time to call a game due to lightning strikes? John Larew  Nothing is more frustrating to coaches, parents and kids alike, than to call a game because of thunder and lightning. Especially for the team who is leading at the time. It’s a tough call but somebody had to do it. Reliance on a “best guess” about clearing the field when you see, or hear, the first signs of a thunderstorm comes with a high margin of error.

lightning strikes

Above you see a lightning storms centered over downtown Tampa, Florida.  10 miles east is a baseball field in Brandon, Florida.  It could be a clear blue sky overhead, and yet you could be within range of a deadly thunderstorm with lightning bolt reaching 10 miles from the storm's outer edges. So, with no audible or visual warnings of a storm, it’s play ball!!

Even if you heard about a thunder storm over Tampa, why worry? Just stay alert for the sound of thunder, right?

Truth is, if you can hear thunder storms, you’re already in danger. The sound of thunder can only be heard from 2 to 4 miles.  This makes it a worthless measurement, because a lightning bolt can strike from the outer edge of storm cell and reach an athletic field 10 miles away. Kids can be in danger and might never know what hit them.  Listening for thunder is playing roulette with lightning strikes.

Today there is ThunderBolt Storm Detector, taking the guesswork out of clearing the field in time. It’s time to play it safe, and with no argument from the bleachers.  If you're a referee or athletic director please invest in the one lightning protection tool that can keep everyone on the field safe!

lightning protection baseball 

]]> articles-3116182 2011-04-29T23:03:28-04:00 2011-05-26T12:26:44-04:00 Why there should be a ThunderBolt in every golfer's bag! John Larew 20 percent of lightning casualties happen on the golf course 

For golfers, the most dangerous place to be during a thunderstorm is somewhere between the first tee and the eighteenth hole. Most golfers have experienced this situation at one time or another. All of a sudden you hear the distant rumble of thunder...so...you begin counting the seconds between the lightning stroke and the clap of thunder. Can you get one more hole in? Do you head for the 
clubhouse or wait until the storm gets closer and trust your luck? It's already too late! You're already in danger!


Lightning is the most dangerous and frequently encountered weather hazard in the United States with nearly 150 deaths and 700 injuries confirmed each year. Nearly 20% of these lightning casualties occur on golf courses every year.

Believing that you can count the seconds between a lightning stroke and the subsequent thunder is a dangerous trap on any golf course. Lightning can strike out of a clear blue sky with no visual or audible warning. Fact is, thunder can only be heard within a distance of 2 to 3 miles. But lightning can strike within a distance of ten (10) miles or more. You should never take a chance believing that what you can't see or hear can't hurt you! Worse yet, over 60% injuries and deaths associated with lightning occurs after the storm appears to have passed. How do you know when it is safe to resume play?

Weather forecasting should not be a part of the game of golf, and no longer has to be. Today you can put 21st century technology into play and be warned of thunderstorm activity long before you hear the rumble of thunder. ThunderBolt Storm Detector has the intelligence to detect storms from 75 miles away and track them all the way to your exact location. ThunderBolt can provide over 50 LCD real-time screen messages including estimated-time-of-arrival and time-to-clear. It gives the golfer time to safely get out of the reach of lightning and lets the golfer know when it is safe to resume play.


]]> articles-3077702 2011-04-26T21:25:20-04:00 2011-05-26T12:26:44-04:00 Run a Golf Course? We have 2 tools to help with Management & Landscaping John Larew  


The Kestrel 4000 is the perfect tool to get an accurate assessment of air movement, which is vital for healthy turf in areas where surface cooling is needed. Proper air movement reduces leaf wetness, which prolonged periods of time increase the likelihood of fungal diseases. A constant air movement of just 3 mph coupled with adequate soil moisture can reduce the need for pesticide use and keep turfs up to par. The new Kestrel 4500 and Portable Vane Mount can be set up to log the wind speed and direction, along with all other environmental data, making it ideal for audits.



Keeping your golfers happy and safe should be a number one priority of every golf course.  The ThunderBolt Desktop Set is the ultimate tool for your club house.  With the ThunderBolt lightning detector, you will be able to alert your customers on the course well ahead of the storm. The ThunderBolt detector has the intelligence to detect storms from 75 miles away and track them all the way to your exact location.  ThunderBolt can provide over 50 LCD real-time screen messages including estimated-time-of-arrival and time-to-clear.  Giving your customers time to safely finish and get out of reach of lightning, as well as letting them know when it's safe to resume play.




]]> articles-3077652 2011-04-24T20:30:10-04:00 2011-05-26T12:26:44-04:00 ThunderBold Ligtning Detectors - Now in stock John Larew

Extreme Weather Meters is proud to announce we're a reseller of lightweight, hand-held ThunderBolt Ligtning Detectors.


» Youth Sports
» Family Safety
» School Safety
» Camping Safety
» Boating Safety
» Scuba Safety
» Golfing Safety
» Industrial/Commercial
» Military
» Kids Lightning Safety

In addition, ThunderBolt has been rigorously tested by the military, construction, industry - including mining and oil refineries, local and federal governments, schools and park facilities.

ThunderBolt Storm Detector, with its incomparable technology, eliminates the risks we take when relying on general weather reports. ThunderBolt, with the ability to detect and track electrical storms from 75 miles, delivers timely, specific and continuous updated text messages as the storm approaches. With a ThunderBolt in hand you will know, long before any weather report reaches you, that you’re in the direct path of a storm and at risk.

We offer 4 models to choose from:


Please check out these great models.  Extreme Weather Meters has tested SkyScan™ Lightning Detector and Strike Alert ® Lightning Detector.  We have found in our testing, the ThunderBolt provides more information that the 4 LED alerts of these models as well as longer range alerts.  

As always, we look forward to offering our customers the best quality available.  All ThunderBolt meters are MADE IN THE USA!

lightning detector desk set
]]> articles-3041132 2011-04-17T16:49:56-04:00 2011-05-26T12:26:44-04:00 Own a farm - 3 tips to help manage the farm using Kestrel meters John Larew Irrigation Audits
Inefficient irrigation systems are costly: they waste water, wash off fertilizers and lawn chemicals, and degrade sidewalks and roads prematurely. When conducting audits of an irrigation system's efficiency, it is critical that the Irrigation Technician monitor wind and relative humidity during all  speed and direction, temperature phases of the audit. There's no easier way to do this than with a Kestrel Pocket Weather Meter. The ultimate tool for this job is the new Kestrel 4500 together with a tripod and Kestrel Vane Mount.  The data log is ideal for use in the field, and the computer interface makes log entries and report development a snap back in the office.

Barn Ventilation

Proper ventilation and temperature and humidity control of livestock facilities can reduce disease and prevent stock loss, as well as improve your rate of gain and feed-conversion efficiency. A Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter lets you measure the conditions that matter most - air velocity, temperature, and relative humidity - right where your stock are experiencing them.  The Kestrel 4200 even includes a built-in volume airflow ("CFM") calculator so you can monitor the performance of your ventilation equipment. Add a sturdy belt carry case to ensure your have your Kestrel with you to spot check conditions at any time, helping you ensure your stock's safety and health.

Livestock Heat & Cold Monitoring

Heat stress can cause reduced productivity and even death in livestock. The effects of severe heat stress are often seen in the form of reduced reproductive performance, reduced daily weight gain and reduced milk production. By using a Kestrel meter to monitor temperature and humidity, and referring to the heat index appropriate for your livestock (indices exist for cattle, swine, turkeys and laying hens), a farmer can take necessary cooling measures in time. Cooling measures include increasing ventilation, making plenty of drinking water available, misting the animals, avoiding transport and movement, and withdrawing feed. Wind chill is equally important in the winter. A cow's energy requirements are estimated to increase 1% for each degree the wind chill is below 32°F, and the effect is even more severe for a wet cow. These increased energy requirements have to be made up in additional feed or the animals will fail to thrive.  Every Kestrel model from the 2000 on up includes wind chill measurement, letting you know when it is critical to provide additional feed energy and/or wind protection.  
  ]]> articles-2957502 2011-04-03T16:34:23-04:00 2011-05-26T12:26:44-04:00 Are you preparing to spray your crops? See how the 3500 DT can help! John Larew Relative humidity, wind speed and wind direction are all critical measurements for ensuring safety and effectiveness when spraying. Many locales have regulations specifying maximum permitted wind speed when spraying to minimize spray drift. Every single Kestrel model offers fast and certified-accurate wind speed measurements in a unit that fits conveniently into your pocket, making it easy to be in full regulatory compliance. In hot, dry conditions, evaporation can send your expensive chemicals uselessly into the air rather than onto your crops. In these conditions, selecting an appropriate nozzle and increasing the spray droplet size can minimize costly evaporation. Kestrel 3500 DT measures dry bulb temperature, wet bulb temperature, Delta T, relative humidity and dew point  temperature. Every Kestrel humidity measurement uses our patented fast-acting humidity sensor with accuracy guaranteed through a two-point calibration. Wet bulb temperature is pressure-corrected to ensure accuracy even at high altitudes and low humidity. If your application requires documentation of the weather conditions, use the Kestrel 2000-point memory to conveniently store all environmental information with the single press of a button, and later upload your stored data to a computer to create a log of spraying conditions (requires optional interface)


]]> articles-2957442 2011-04-03T16:22:47-04:00 2011-05-26T12:26:44-04:00 Farmers and Agricultural Organizations love the Kestrel 3500DT John Larew

Spraying, Irrigation Audits, and Crop Harvesting are all critical pieces of operations that can be measured with the Kestrel 3500 DT weather meter.

What is Delta T?

Delta T is the spread between the wet bulb temperature and the dry bulb temperature. Delta T offers a quick guide to determining acceptable spraying conditions.  For example, it is not recommended to apply pesticides when Delta T is  above 10 - a range of 2 to 8 is ideal.  With the new Kestrel 3500 Delta T, the calculation is done for you, accurately and  simply. The Kestrel 3500 Delta T incorporates barometric pressure correction in its wet bulb temperature calculation,  ensuring accuracy even on low pressure days, at high altitudes, and in the very dry weather when Delta-T monitoring is important.  No other hand-held weather meter offers this feature with this level of accuracy.


What's so great about the Kestrel impeller?

The Kestrel impeller measures 1 inch across, and turns on a Swiss precision pivot mounted on sapphire bearings. Its large size ensures accurate readings even if pointed off-angle from the wind, and its very low start-up speed allows measurement of the lightest puffs of wind. If damaged, a new calibrated impeller can be popped in without tools, restoring like-new performance.


How does the Kestrel measure humidity so accurately?

The Kestrel features a patented dual temperature sensor configuration for rapid response and accurate measurement. Every Kestrel is calibrated against NIST-traceable standards, and can be recalibrated in the field with the Kestrel RH kit.  


How does the Kestrel measure altitude?

The Kestrel uses an atmospheric pressure sensor and calculates altitude based on a standard atmosphere. This is just like the altimeter in an airplane, or an altimeter watch. It's more accurate than a GPS altimeter, but does require periodic reset of the reference pressure to eliminate weather effects.


Does the Kestrel have a GPS in it?

No, not yet. We may add basic GPS location to a future Kestrel model, but we'll leave the full-blown mapping and navigation to the companies that specialize in GPS as much as we specialize in weather.


Do you really mean MADE in the USA?

Yes. The entire Kestrel line is designed and built in the USA. Some electronic components have to be sourced overseas these days, but we buy American wherever we can.
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