Met Office weather stations: How we measure the weather

But what exactly are weather stations, how do they work, and why do their standards matter? Here, we explain the essentials and show why you can trust the UK’s official weather observations and records. 

What is a weather station? 

A weather station is a site equipped with instruments that measure a range of meteorological parameters. The Met Office operates more than 350 weather stations across the UK, each recording a selection of data including air temperature, atmospheric pressure, rainfall, wind speed and direction, humidity, sunshine, cloud height and visibility. However, not every station records all meteorological parameters. These stations are, on average, spaced about 40 kilometres apart, allowing meteorologists to monitor current weather systems and the UK's ever-changing climate over a longer period.

Sunny spells and scattered showers on Wednesday 🌦️ before heavy rain moves in from the southwest later 🌧️ pic.twitter.com/QF2oB9VxZl

— Met Office (@metoffice) October 21, 2025

How is weather data collected and checked? 

The Met Office utilises a combination of around 250 automatic and over 100 manual weather stations. Automatic weather stations automatically log measurements from all their sensors every minute. These data are transmitted to the Met Office headquarters in Exeter, where they undergo rigorous quality control. Our manual sites are read once every 24 hours at 0900GMT or 1000BST depending on the time of year. These stations record daily maximum air temperature, daily minimum air temperature and daily rainfall amount. Some stations also record sunshine hours and minimum grass temperatures. These data are also quality controlled when received by a Met Office team based in Edinburgh and Eskdalemuir.  

When a new record is set, such as the highest temperature or heaviest rainfall, it’s labelled as ‘provisionally broken’ until further investigation confirms the reading is robust and reliable. An operational meteorologist will often visit the site as part of the evidence gathering process. Once a decision has been made on whether all the necessary criteria has been met, only then is it added to the UK’s official weather and climate records. 

READ MORE: What are October's current weather records?

If a reading doesn’t meet the required standards, it’s rejected and removed from the record. This ensures that the UK’s weather data remains trustworthy and comparable with records from around the world.

What makes a good weather station site? 

The best sites are on level ground, free from trees, buildings, or steep slopes that could affect measurements. Factors that can introduce uncertainties include buildings which can artificially warm temperature readings, trees that can shelter instruments from wind or sunshine, and valleys (frost hollows) which can exaggerate overnight cold.  

Similarly, hilltops can record winds that don’t represent the wider area. That’s why the Met Office is meticulous about site selection, ensuring each station’s data reflects the broader region or its specific use case, not just its immediate surroundings. 

Why does location matter? 

Met Office observations produced at these stations are underpinned by a rigorous quality management system including a longstanding and well-honed site inspection methodology, ensuring that data produced at a site is as accurate and reliable as it can be. The Met Office quality management system has been in use for a long time and the criteria, working practices and inspection procedures have been fine-tuned over the decades. There are minimum siting and exposure standards to adhere to, to ensure conformance and data validity, and this system is designed to minimise data uncertainty. 

The Met Office inspection scheme provides a structured evaluation of meteorological stations, assessing each element for its suitability in contributing to meteorological and climatological outputs. The assessment encompasses instrument compliance, installation standards, exposure conditions, and, where applicable, observer competence, ensuring consistency and reliability across the observational network.

To ensure global consistency and reliability, UK weather stations also meet strict criteria set by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the specialised agency of the UN for weather and climate.

Why aren’t all weather stations equal? 

Not all weather stations are created equal. Observations from amateur stations or those outside the official Met Office network can’t be considered for official records, as they aren’t subject to the same rigorous standards.  

This isn’t to say that personal weather stations aren’t valuable, they can provide useful local information, especially during extreme weather events, but their data must be treated with caution when it comes to national records. 

Can you contribute to weather observations? 

Absolutely. The Met Office encourages anyone with a personal weather station, manual or automatic, to share their data via the Weather Observations Website (WOW). This initiative, developed with the Royal Meteorological Society and the Department for Education, welcomes contributions from schools, amateur meteorologists, and weather enthusiasts.  

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While these observations aren’t used for official records, they help meteorologists monitor localised events like heavy snow or rain, improving forecasts and public safety. Our network constantly evolves. The Met Office is interested in hearing from any person or organisation that may wish to voluntarily host an official weather station using Met Office issued equipment. It is a long-term unpaid commitment, and requires a large piece of open land, so not all sites make the grade. If you’re interested in contributing, you can get in touch via our Weather Desk.  

Why does all this matter? 

Weather observations, not just from the UK but from around the world, are critical in creating a weather forecast. Our meteorologists and weather forecasting models need to understand the current state of the atmosphere to be able to forecast how it will evolve into the future. It is for this reason that national Meteorological Services, such as the Met Office, share data with global partners to build a trusted global network of weather observations to feed into the weather forecasting process.  

Weather stations are also the backbone of the UK’s weather and climate records. Their careful placement, strict standards, routine inspections and rigorous data checks ensure that the information stored and used for weather forecasts and climate projections are accurate and reliable. The Met Office also gathers metadata – data about the data – for its records. For example, equipment type, calibration details, and information about the surroundings are all collected.  

By understanding how weather stations work, you can be confident in the observations and records that shape our understanding of the UK’s weather. 

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