New eighth grade science teacher, Mr. David Reynolds, who is a part of a weather forum of weather station owners, has brought a weather station to BSM.

In order to get the weather data, the station includes a rain gauge as well as a rain gauge heater for the colder weather. The rain gauge wirelessly measures rain precipitation. Although fully solar-powered, the weather station also includes a rechargeable battery for cloudy days; it can last up to 60 days without sun. Once the information is collected, it sends it to the computer room where there is a data logger; the information is then sent to the website. “It will track the big things, wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, temperature, humidity, dew point, and barometric pressure,” Reynolds said.

The website Reynolds put together is accessible to everyone and includes all sorts of things such as temperature, rainfall, forecasts, moon phases, and pictures outside of BSM. There have been some reception glitches, so the website may be changed in the future. “Like anything else in science it’s trial and error,” Reynolds said.

Weather is something that is often talked about, so Reynolds hopes to get his students excited about the weather. He will use it as an educational tool to teach his students about all of the factors that go into weather forecasts, as his class reaches their weather unit. “[The purpose is so] the kids can understand what’s happening and why, and that they might prepare themselves for something that could be happening,” Reynolds said.

The completely solar-powered weather station was donated to Reynolds, who began the process of setting it up in August. As of now, this weather station initiative is a hobby for Reynolds, as it was at his previous school. However, he is open to JH and SH students coding for the website. Along with coding, he is having a contest amongst his students for the best logo design for the website. “It could end up being a student [run] website,” Reynolds said.

Those interested in the weather at BSM can go directly to the BSM Weather Station website at bsmweather.org or follow @BSMWeather on Twitter for hourly updates.