outdoor temperature is not accurate

[completelyhis]

I have a LaCrosse weather station ws 23xx series. The outdoor weather sensor right now says it is 88.4F (on both the heavy weather software as well as the vws software). when i google my zip+temp, it comes back as 58F right now. weather.com shows 59, with "feels like" 59.

The indoor temp. sensor built into the device itself is pretty accurate, and I have no idea about the wind/rain/humidity sensors.

The outdoor temp. sensors is mounted 15' high on my garage wall, east facing, in full sun at the moment.

1. what could be causing this?
2. what do i do about it?

Thanks,

Ian

[thymer]

Is the outdoor sensor in one of these?

http://www.btinternet.com/~jon00/pagoda.shtml

If it's just outside in the sun you'll get horribly inaccurate readings.

[Rupp]

Does this station come with a temperature pagoda? I think this is the different between less expensive and more expensive stations. My Davis came with a fan aspirated temperature pagoda and is always in full sun never is affected by the direct sun. The air is circulated into the pagoda constantly which helps with temp accuracy. There used to be directions floating around showing how to construct a pagoda.

[thymer]

Does this station come with a temperature pagoda? I think this is the different between less expensive and more expensive stations. My Davis came with a fan aspirated temperature pagoda and is always in full sun never is affected by the direct sun. The air is circulated into the pagoda constantly which helps with temp accuracy. There used to be directions floating around showing how to construct a pagoda.

that was in the post above

[completelyhis]

Rupp,
I'll look into building it a pagoda, i wondered if it was something like that, but i had no idea it would be to this extent!

thanks.

[completelyhis]

after reading this in the link that Thymer provided:

"Ideally, it should be located in an area of total shade"

Should I just move the temp sensor up to where it is under the roof eves, so that it is not in direct sunlight?

[thymer]

after reading this in the link that Thymer provided:

"Ideally, it should be located in an area of total shade"

Should I just move the temp sensor up to where it is under the roof eves, so that it is not in direct sunlight?

That's what I did and used one of these:

http://www.ambientweather.com/amwesrpatean.html

[nightwalker]

I ran into the same problem with my first sensor outside. I ended up putting the sensor behind the speaker grill of the speaker that's in my rear porch ceiling. I had to use a little rubber grommet at the spot i brought the sensor through to keep air flow from getting from the interior ceiling to the sensor. It's been working really well and you'd never know it was there.

[Wadenut]

I used to use the temp sensor inside my AAG station in my Weather Underground upload. That sensor was in full sun all day. Eventually, Environment Canada complained that my temperatures were way out of line with nearby stations. Long and short, I switched to a sensor which is mounted on the north-east side of the house, directly under the eaves where it never gets direct sun.
I still use the station sensor for night-time frost warnings.