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Search forHere is the weather thanks to Michael's sky-high ambition
Friday, November 14, 2008, 08:00
But one man from Cheddleton has taken it a stage further – by setting up his own weather forecasting station.
Michael Parry-Thomas, aged 44, forecasts and investigates the weather as a hobby.
He set up his weather station at his home when he had to close his business due to a long-term illness.
Mr Parry-Thomas said: "This is something I had been interested in for several years and getting involved has got me into a worldwide weather community and is something I can do when I feel well enough.
"I was running a printing studio in Cheddleton, making ceramic transfers, before I took it up.
"But, I had to stop after I started suffering from the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis, which also developed into a problem with my kidneys."
He bought his first piece of equipment – an Oregon Scientific wireless weather station – three years ago.
Sensors on this transmit data to a display unit. This is then transferred onto Michael's computer.
He said: "Using weather display software, I can then analyse the data. The information is sent to my web site. All the instruments are shown on line and you can view the current data.
"I also use specialised software for forecasting. This has been modified for use on my Cheddleton weather station. The data is sent to the web and gives a five-day forecast."
Mr Parry-Thomas' instruments are located in the back garden and on top of the garage at his home in Cheadle Road, Cheddleton.
He has also created and modified several sensors for his weather station.
These include:
A rain duration sensor, which measures how long it's rained for and whether it was fine or heavy.
A rain gauge heater, which melts collected snow into water so it can be measured in its liquid form.
A cloud sensor, which measures cloud formations in the evening to give an indication of what the weather is doing throughout the night.
Mr Parry-Thomas said: "All sensors are made and modified by myself. I am currently working on designing a snow sensor and I recently added a lightning radar system, which tracks storms all over Europe, and is part of a radar lightning network which operates worldwide."
Mr Parry-Thomas has no direct involvement with the Met Office, which forecasts the nation's weather.
He added: "I compare data with the Met Office forecast, but I send my own to Weather Underground and Citizens Weather Observer programme, also registered at the World Weather Station. Whether or not the Met tap into that to get information, I don't know.
"I am contacted by several individuals in this country and abroad, requesting data from different sensors I have designed, for use in their own research.
"I find the weather interesting because it affects everyone and the environment. And it's interesting to do forecasts on a smaller radius. I work on a 20-mile radius around Cheddleton, approximately."
Mr Parry-Thomas has also defied his dyslexia to create a website devoted to his favourite pastime, which has so far received nearly 20,000 hits from internet users.
He said: "While I was creating the website I used a programme called Dragon Natural Speaking. I use it to speak into the computer, which then interprets it into writing.
"If I hadn't started the weather station I wouldn't have known about it because it was only when I was making the website that I came across this programme.
"I want to encourage people with illness and disabilities, they can make a difference in the community."
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