LoRa-Based Affordable Wireless Weather Station

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056

LoRa-Based Affordable Wireless Weather Station

Deepa B C1 , Neerajakshi G V2 , Kiran K N3

1 Deepa B C, Student, Dept. of ECE, BNM Institute of Technology, Karnataka, India.

2 Neerajakshi G V, Student, Dept. of ECE, BNM Institute of Technology, Karnataka, India.

3 Kiran K N, Assistant Professor, Dept. of ECE, BNM Institute of Technology, Karnataka, India.

Abstract - The LoRa Based Affordable Wireless Weather Station is a system aimed at providing weather data, that has obtained significant attention mainly because of its capability to assist long-range wireless-communication along with minimal power consumption. This makes it a good candidate for distant environmental observation systems. A LoRa-based weather station integrates various environmental sensors like air temperature, moisture level, wind velocity, atmospheric pressure, and rain gauges with a LoRa transceiver to collect and transmit real-time weather data over long distances. These weather stations are specifically useful in rural, remote, or disaster-prone regions where conventional communication systems are limited or unavailable. The low-power nature of LoRa allows weather stations to operate for continued time on battery, thus making them cost-effective and sustainable for long-term deployments. This paper explores the design, benefits, and challenges of implementing LoRa-based weather stations, highlighting their applications in agriculture, climate monitoring, disaster management, and smart city initiatives. Additionally, we discuss the potential for integrating LoRa technology with IoT platforms and advanced analytics aimed at enhancing the accuracy and predictive capabilities of weather monitoring systems.

Key Words: LoRa, Sensors, Weather Parameters and Wireless Station, ESP32 Wi-Fi module

1.INTRODUCTION

Therequirementofaccurateandreal-timeecologicaldata has become greater critical in various sectors, including agriculture, disaster management, climate research, and urbanplanning.Weatherstations,whichcollectdataonkey atmosphericparameterslikeambienttemperature,moisture level,windvelocity,atmosphericpressure,andraingauges, are essential tools in gathering this vital information. However, traditional weather stations often rely on extensivearchitecture,whichcanbecostlyanddifficultto deploy, especially in remote or rural areas. Additionally, these stations typically require a continuous and uninterrupted power supply and reliable communication infrastructure, which may not be available consistently in such regions. The Wireless Sensor systems have now, emerged as flexible and scalable solutions for monitoring environmental conditions. These networks consist of distributed sensors that collect data and transmit it wirelesslytoacentralbasestationorcloud-basedplatform. Among the various communication technologies used in

WSNs, the LPWANs have become popular, mainly due to theirabilitytoprovidelong-rangecommunicationandlow energyconsumption.OnesuchLPWANtechnologythathas proventobehighlyeffectiveinenvironmentalmonitoring applications is LoRa (Long Range), a wireless communicationprotocoldevelopedexplicitlyforlow-power andlong-distancetransmission.

Several significant features in LoRa technology, make it particularly well-suited for applications like wireless weather stations. LoRa offers long-range communication capabilities, enabling the devices to transmit data over several kilometres,evenin areaswithchallengingterrain. Thisfeatureisespeciallybeneficialforweatherstationsthat need to cover vast and remote areas, such as rural farms, coastalregions,ormountainousterrains.Inaddition,LoRa's lowpowerconsumptionallowsdevices’operationforlonger duration without the need for frequent maintenance or battery expendable. This makes LoRa-based weather stations sustainable and provide a cost-effective solution, particularlyinlocationswhereaccesstoelectricityislimited.

AtypicalLoRa-basedweatherstationintegratestherangeof environmental sensors, suchas airtemperature, moisture level, wind velocity, atmospheric pressure sensors, with a LoRatransceiverthattransmitsthecollecteddataoverlong distances.Thesestationscanbepoweredbyalternateand renewableenergysources,thusensuringthattheyoperate constantlyeveninoff-gridlocations.Byconnectingmultiple weatherstationswithinaLoRanetwork,itbecomespossible to have a large-scale, distributed weather observation systemthatcanprovidedetailedandaccurateinsightsinto environmentalconditionsacrossawidegeographicarea.

2. LITERATURE SURVEY

TheintegrationofLoRa(LongRange)technologyinwireless weather stations has appeared as a potential remedy for real-timeenvironmentalmonitoring,particularlyinremote or off-grid areas where traditional infrastructure is either insufficientornon-existent.LoRa,asalow-powerwide-area network(LPWAN)technology,providesanefficientwayto collectandtransmitweatherdataaboveextendeddistances withveryminimumenergyconsumptionthatmakesitwellsuitedforapplicationssuchasweathermonitoringstations, where long-term operation in isolated environments is crucial. Several studies have explored the design, development, and applications of LoRa-based wireless weatherstations.[1]

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International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056

Volume: 12 Issue: 03 | Mar 2025 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

A significant portion of the research focuses on the architecture and deployment of LoRa-based weather stations.Thesestationsaretypicallycomposedofmultiple environmental sensors such as temperature, wind speed, humidity, rain gauges, and atmospheric pressure sensors. The data from these sensors is collected by a central microcontrollerandtransmittedovertheLoRanetworktoa gateway or cloud platform. Several studies have demonstrated the successful deployment of the weather station systems in rural areas, where the long-range capabilities of LoRa except for data transmission over severalkilometerswithouttheneedfortraditionalcellular orWi-Finetworks.Thelow-powernatureofLoRaisacritical advantage,enablingthesestationstooperateforcontinuous time,manytimeswithsolarpanelsorbattery-basedpower sources.ThismakesLoRa-basedsystemsparticularlyviable inareaswhereconventionalpowergridsareunavailable.[2]

The effectiveness of LoRa technology in weather station applicationshasbeenthefocusofthoroughinvestigationin lately literature. Numerous studies have highlighted the abilityofLoRatomaintainreliablecommunicationevenin challenging environments, such as forests, mountainous regions,oragriculturalfields.For example,researchershave exploredthepropagationcharacteristicsofLoRasignalsin differentterrainsandweatherconditions,establishingthe feasibilityofdeployingLoRa-basedsystemsforlarge-scale weather monitoring networks. The robustness of LoRa communication,eveninharshconditions,hasbeenvalidated by successful deployments in remote regions, where traditional communication technologies would either be impractical or prohibitively expensive.[3] Additionally, studieshaveexploredpossibilityofintegrating LoRa-based weather stations with broader IoT (Internet of Things) ecosystems. This integration allows for absolute data transmissiontocloudplatforms,whereadvancedanalytics, datavisualization,andpredictivemodellingcanbeapplied. In some cases, LoRa-based weather stations extended integratedintosmartagriculturesystems,providingfarmers withreal-timeinsightsintoenvironmentalconditionsthat helpoptimizeirrigation,cropmanagement,andpestcontrol. Thedatagatheredbythesestationsareusefulfortheearly warningsystemsindisaster-proneareas,suchasfloodsetc. LoRa technology-based weather monitoring system are usefulinwildfiredetection,sincequickresponsesarecritical for protecting lives and property. These applications underscore its value in enhancing sustainable agriculture, promoting climate resilience, and supporting disaster mitigationefforts[4] However,despiteitsadvantages,the use of LoRa-based weather stations presents certain challenges.

Onekeylimitation,isthelowdatatransmissionrateofLoRa, whichcanberestrictiveforapplicationsthatrequirehighfrequency or large-volume data transfer. In weather monitoring,wheresensorsgenerallytransmitsmall,periodic updates, this limitation is less impactful. Network congestion, isa concern, particularlyin areas with a high

concentrationofdevices,which usuallyresultsindelaysor dataloss.Toaddressthis,variousstrategiesforoptimizing LoRa networks have been explored. These include techniqueslikeadaptivetransmissionpowercontrol,data aggregation, and collision avoidance, all of which aim to enhancenetworkreliabilityandperformance,especiallyin large-scale deployments.[5] Another critical aspect discussedintheliteratureisthereliabilityandsustainability of power sources for LoRa-based weather stations. While LoRa’slowpowerconsumptionreducestheoverallenergy demand,ensuringlong-termoperationinremotelocations stillrequirescarefulplanning.Manystudieshavefocusedon hybrid power systems, which combine solar panels, batteries,andenergymanagementtechniquestoensurethat weather stations remain operational year-round, even in regionswithfluctuatingsunlight.[6]

3. METHODOLOGY

The proposed flowchart for the LoRa-Based Affordable WirelessWeatherStationisshowninFigure1.

Thesystembeginsbycollectingrelevantdatathatincludes weather related parameters such as temperature, light intensity, humidity, and rainfall. The values are acquired throughvarioussensors.Theacquireddatais subsequently processedbyanESP32microcontroller.Itconvertstheraw sensorreadingsintoausableformatfortransmission.The processed data is then sent via the LoRa module, which enables long-range wireless communication while consumingminimalpower.Thisensuresthatweatherdata can be transmitted even from remote locations. At the receiver end, the LoRa gateway node receives the transmitteddata.ThisgatewayincludesaLoRamoduleand anESP32Wi-Fimodule,whichservesasabridgebetween LoRa network and an external monitoring system. The receiveddataisforwardedviatheESP32moduletoacloudbasedplatformforreal-timemonitoringandanalysis.The transformerinthegatewayensurespropervoltagelevelsfor

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056

Volume: 12 Issue: 03 | Mar 2025 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

accurate transmission. The final step in the flowchart involves displaying the processed data in a user-friendly format on a mobile or web-based application. This allows users to access real-time environmental conditions and trendsfordecision-making.

Figure2,showsthetransmittersectionoftheLoRa-based wireless weather station consisting of multiple environmental sensors, including the DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor, BH1750 light intensity sensor, LCD, and rain sensor module These sensors collect real-time weatherdata,suchastemperature,lightintensity,humidity, and rainfall, which is processed by an Arduino Uno microcontroller. The processed data is subsequently transmittedusingaLoRamodule,whichenableslong-range, low-powercommunication.Thistransmissionensuresthat weatherdataissentefficientlyoversignificantdistancestoa centralreceiver.

Figure2,illustratesthesensornodesequippedwithsensors interfacedtoanArduinoUnomicrocontroller.Thesensors, measurethephysicalparameters,transmitthedatatothe gatewaynodethroughthemicrocontrollerandLoRamodule. Thelightintensitysensor measurestheamountoflightin the environment, providing data about the surrounding brightnessordarkness.Thissensornodeplaysanimportant role in environmental monitoring systems, gathering importantdatatotheenvironment.

Figure 3, shows the receiver section consists of a LoRa gatewaynode,whichincludesaLoRamodule,anESP32Wi-

Fimodule,andatransformer.Thegatewaynodereceivesthe datafromsensornodesandactsasabridgebetweenLoRa network and an external application. The ESP32 module forwardsthereceiveddatatoacloud-basedapplicationfor real-timemonitoringandanalysis.Thetransformerisused to regulate voltage levels to ensure proper data transmission. This setup enables efficient data reception, storage,andvisualizationofweatherconditionsthrougha mobileorwebapplication. TheLoRa isaremotetransceiver designed withtheArduinoboard,featuringanopen-source librarythatenablestransmissionofdataoverlargedistances along with low data rates. Additionally, the LoRa LG01-S servesasanopen-sourcegatewaythatbridgesLoRawireless networkstovariousIPnetworks,suchasWiFi,Ethernet,3G, or4G.ItoperatesonanembeddedLinuxsystem,whichis alsoopen-source.

4. IMPLEMENTATION

The sensor nodes support long-range data transmission, withminimal powerconsumption, thus makingitsuitable for IoT applications. The transformer is made use for adjusting voltage levels for proper data transmission. Overall, the gateway node is crucial in facilitating data transfer from sensor nodes to external systems, enabling efficientmonitoringfollowedbyanalysisofenvironmental conditionsacrossvariousapplications.

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056

Volume: 12 Issue: 03 | Mar 2025 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

Figure 5, displays the physical parameters such as temperature, light intensity, humidity and rainfall. This application provides real-time updates on weather conditions,immediatelyreflectinganychanges.Thedatais transmittedthroughtheWi-Fimoduleinthegatewaynode, enabling the application to receive and display the informationpromptly.

5. RESULTS

The LoRa-Based Wireless Weather Station results, demonstrate the successful implementation of a low-cost, energy-efficient,andlong-rangecommunicationsystemfor weathermonitoring.Thesesensornodestransmitreal-time weatherdatathroughaLoRamoduletoacentralgateway node.

Fig -6: Outputmessages

Thegatewaynode,equippedwithaLoRamodule,ESP32WiFimodule,andatransformer,receivesthetransmitteddata andforwardsittoacloud-basedapplicationviaWi-Fi.This setup ensures seamless real-time monitoring followed by analysisofweatherconditions.Thedataobtainedisstored inaFirebasereal-timedatabase,allowingtheuserstoaccess weatherupdatesinstantlyusingamobileapplication.

Furthermore,thesystemeffectivelyprovidesaccurateand reliableweatherdata,thatcanbeusedinapplicationssuch as agriculture, disaster management, and environmental research. The low power requirements and long range capabilities of LoRa technology make the system ideal for deploymentinremoteoroff-gridlocationswheretraditional infrastructureislimited.

6. CONCLUSION

Weather monitoring is a challenging task due to frequent changes in environmental conditions, even over short distances.Thispaperpresentsasimple,low-costsystemfor accurately measuring various climatic parameters. The proposed Wireless Weather Station system is highly advantageousforuseinweather-relatedapplicationssuchas transportation, aviation, and agriculture, providing quick, timelyandaccurateenvironmentaldatafordecision-making. The LoRa-based wireless weather station highlights its effectivenessandefficiencyinremoteweathermonitoring, byleveragingLoRatechnology Thus,thesystemtransmits weatherrelateddataoverlongdistanceswithsignificantly lowpowerconsumption,thusbecomingextremelysuitable forareaswithlimitedinfrastructureorharshenvironments.

Thesystemensuresaccurateandreal-timeweathertracking. Thistechnologyalsoenhancesthescalabilityofthesystem, allowing the deployment of multiple weather stations in diverse locations, allowing for environmental monitoring, disaster management, and agricultural applications. Thus, the LoRa-based weather stations provide a reliable, costeffectivesolutionforcomprehensiveweatherdatacollection inremoteordifficult-to-reachareas.

REFERENCES

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[2] Karthik Krishnamurthi, Suraj Thapa, Lokesh Kothari, Arun Prakash, "Arduino Based Weather Monitoring Systems",InternationalJournalofEngineeringResearch andGeneralScience,Volume3,Issue2,March2015.

[3] N.Sabharwal,R.Kumar,A.Thakur,J.Sharma,"ALowCostZigbee-BasedAutomaticWirelessWeatherStation withGUIandWebHostingFacility",ICRTEDC,Vol.1,Spl. Issue2,May2014.

[4] D.V.Sose,A.D.Sayyad,"WeatherMonitoringStation:A Review",InternationalJournalofEngineeringResearch andApplications,ISSN:2248-9622,Vol.6,Issue6,(Part1),June2016,pp.55-60.

[5] HakkıSoy,YusufDilay,"AConceptualDesignofLoRaBasedWeatherMonitoringSystemforSmartFarming", DOI:10.31590/ejosat.1011947.

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