How to use a barometer

Knowing how to use a barometer can be very helpful for a wilderness backpacker.


How does a barometer work?

Barometer is an instrument that measure air pressure. It shows air pressure on a scale calibrated in inches, millimeters of mercury, or in millibars.

An increasing barometer pressure means possibly improving weather. A good electronic barometer should be able to store readings and present barometric pressure trends.


Weather barometer

If you know how to use your barometer you have an indication of the weather trend. Don't forget that weather forecasting is complicated by the wind, local weather characteristics, and the rate of barometric pressure change.

Predicting weather is a nice and useful feature but really no navigation feature. However, if you have a barometer function in your portable navigation system you also have an altimeter.

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