New Pittwater weather site
Sydney’s Pittwater now has its own weather stations and website where you can access local weatherThanks to a bunch of keen Pittwater residents, you can now get up-to-date local weather reports specific to the area.
President of the Pittwater Weather Association, Rohan Walter, said he came up with the idea after being frustrated at the inaccuracy of forecasts delivered for the area by the Bureau of Meteorology’s (BOM) nearest stations at Terrey Hills and North Head.
"We actually have a microclimate in Pittwater so you can’t have a one size fits all forecast," said Mr Walter, a retired Qantas pilot from Newport.
"For one of the busiest waterways, Pittwater is a black hole in terms of weather information.
“You must have an accurate forecast to be safe whether you’re going out in a tinnie or a yacht," he said.
The association has already installed four stations which collect data for individual websites, with a further three stations waiting to be commissioned including one at Barrenjoey Lighthouse.
The first station was installed at Palm Beach’s Observation Point two months ago, followed by the The Quays Marina at Church Point and Scotland Island.
The stations provide updates on temperature, wind, rain and barometric pressure every two minutes as well as historical data.
Mona Vale resident Ken Wilde, an avid yachtsman, had already installed his own private station which he has integrated into the Pittwater Weather Association’s network.
Mr Wilde is the association’s vice president who set up the websites, while Church Point resident, Rob Jeffress, is the secretary and third member of their team.
Mr Jeffress was instrumental in providing the location for the first station at Observation Point.
"Before our stations were installed, Scotland Island residents had no reliable or accurate local weather information, but they are dependent on dinghies for their daily commute," Mr Walter said.
A BOM spokeswoman said it was continually assessing and reviewing improvements to its weather monitoring network.
"The Bureau sees value in additional observational data provided by third-parties at the local level, and welcomes opportunities to work with organisations such as the Pittwater Weather Association," she said.
You can check out the website here.
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