Save 10% on an annual AWN+ Teams Annual Subscription! Unlock premium map layers, 15-day hourly forecasting, degree days, enhanced graphing, SMS alerts, and five years of data storage. AWN+ for teams is the perfect upgrade for any weather enthusiast or a great gift for anyone with a weather station.
Don't have a team? Try AWN+
Start date: Your subscription will begin on the earlier of (1) the date you activate your subscription; or (2) one year after the date of purchase.
Why Choose AWN+ for Teams?
AWN+ for Teams brings powerful, shared weather intelligence to organizations that need reliable, coordinated insights. Instead of relying on multiple apps or disconnected data sources, your team can access everything from one streamlined, ad-free dashboard.
Comprehensive Team Data: Unlock 15-day forecasts, 5-year data history, and premium map layers that deliver deeper, more actionable insights.
Coordinated Safety: Set up custom team alerts to notify up to five members via SMS, email, or in-app notifications—helping everyone stay informed and ready to respond.
Focused Monitoring: Use map filtering to view only your stations, favorites, or NOAA sources for a clean, customized view of what matters most to your operations.
A Whole New Level of Weather Data for You and Your Team
Tired of managing multiple apps or relying on individuals to monitor conditions? With the Ambient Weather Network (AWN) and AWN+ for Teams, everything you need for group weather monitoring and alerts lives in one powerful, ad-free platform.
While the free AWN version covers the essentials, AWN+ for Teams unlocks premium map layers, extended 15-day forecasts, 5-year data history, and team-wide alerting—keeping your entire organization informed and weather-ready.
Premium Map Layers
These layers bring advanced, detailed weather insights in one ad-free app, ensuring your team is always prepared for whatever weather comes your way.
Air Quality
The Air Quality map layer provides Air Quality Index (AQI) data globally, updated every 12 hours, and categorized from "Good" to "Hazardous." You can view the AQI and its associated category by clicking on the map, making it perfect for planning outdoor activities—especially for those with respiratory issues. You can also view the color overlay on the map to determine your region's AQI category.
Snow Depth
This layer offers snow accumulation data in inches and is updated every 6 hours. You can either view the color-coded map overlay or click on a colored region to access additional details like snow rate, visibility, temperature, wind speed, and more. It's ideal for anyone preparing for snowstorms or planning winter trips, helping you stay ahead of changing winter conditions.
Fires
The Fires map layer displays active wildfires across the U.S. and Canada, with information on fire start date, time, cause, area, and containment percentage. The fire icons on the map show active fires; select any of the icons to gain crucial insights. If you click outside the icons, it will find the nearest fire to that location This map layer is critical for safety and preparedness if you live in a fire-prone region.
Tropical Cyclones
This layer tracks active tropical cyclones such as invests, tropical depressions, tropical storms, hurricanes, and typhoons across the globe. It provides detailed storm data like names, tracks, and forecasts sourced from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC), and Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). It is essential for those in coastal areas to receive timely information to protect their property and loved ones from severe tropical weather.
River Gauge
The River Gauge map layer updates every hour, tracking river levels and flow rates with data from NOAA's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS). It delivers critical insights on water height, flow, and potential flood impacts. Whether you're boating, swimming, or fishing, this feature provides real-time data to help you plan your activities safely, ensuring you know the water conditions before heading out. It's also essential for anyone living near rivers or flood-prone areas, helping you stay ahead of flooding risks and take proactive steps to safeguard your home.
Advanced Graphing
AWN+ for Teams includes all the advanced graphing tools found in AWN+, giving you deeper insight into your weather data—so you can act before conditions escalate.
- Multi-Station and Multi-Parameter Graphing: Graph a single parameter across multiple stations or multiple parameters from a single station, all on a single graph. Want to compare temperatures at home and at your favorite vacation spots? Done. Or see how temperature, wind speed, and humidity change over time at your shore house? Done. Simply select up to three stations or three parameters to compare in each graph.
- Multi-Axis Graphing: The multi-axis graph display lets you plot measurements with different units on a single timeline. For instance, while temperature, humidity, and wind speed use separate units, multi-axis graphing enables you to view them together in one unified graph. You can display parameters as either a bar chart or a line chart, and even combine both options in a single graph.
- Improved Graph Controls: The enhanced zoom feature provides a closer look at specific sections of your graph’s timeline. On a desktop, click and drag to select the area you want to zoom into. On the mobile app, just use the pinch-to-zoom gesture. Easily turn parameters or stations off or on by clicking or tapping on the chart legend.
- Organization: You can minimize any Advanced Graph while keeping its name visible for easy access, duplicate any graph to quickly edit the parameters or stations, and rearrange the order of existing graphs using the list order controls.
- Export Your Graphs and Data: Export and share your detailed weather data as a CSV or XLS file, or by saving your graphs as image files.
Bonus Dashboard Tiles
AWN+ for Teams includes Growing Degree Days (GDD), Cooling Degree Days (CDD), and Heating Degree Days (HDD) tiles that help organizations track energy use, optimize systems, and plan more efficiently. These tiles will empower users to:
- Monitor Energy Usage: Track your building's energy consumption and identify opportunities for savings.
- Optimize HVAC Settings: Receive recommendations on optimal HVAC settings based on local CDD and HDD data.
- Plan Maintenance: Schedule preventive maintenance for your HVAC systems to ensure they operate efficiently throughout the year.
- Manage Agricultural and Gardening Activities: Utilize GDD data to plan and optimize crop schedules for better yield and pest management.
By leveraging CDD, HDD, and GDD data, you can make informed decisions that lead to significant cost savings and a reduced environmental footprint. Upgrade to the premium version of the AWN app today and take control of your energy and agricultural management!
Forecasts and Historical Data
Get a complete picture of past, present, and future weather conditions with AWN+ for Teams.
- Extended Hourly Forecasts: Access up to 15 days of detailed forecasts, helping you plan ahead for operations, events, or safety responses.
- Archived Weather Data: Review up to 5 years of historical data to analyze weather trends, inform planning, or document compliance.
Stay Connected. Stay Prepared. Stay Informed.
Weather can change quickly, but your team can stay one step ahead. AWN+ for Teams ensures everyone receives consistent, timely updates - helping groups stay organized, plan more efficiently, and respond with confidence to changing conditions.
Upgrade Today!
Experience the convenience of coordinated weather alerts and advanced forecasting with AWN+ for Teams.
Visit www.ambientweather.net or download the app on iOS or Android to get started. Once you create a free account, upgrade by selecting the AWN+ icon in your menu or on the map and selecting AWN+ for teams.
Empower your team with shared weather awareness, smarter planning, and a reliable all-in-one platform powered by the Ambient Weather Network.
Product Questions
We have recently redesigned the Ambient Weather Network Dashboard based on customer feedback requesting a more streamlined experience.
As part of the redesign, the tiles have been updated with rounded corners and the tile banner and menu have a new appearance, as shown in the examples below.
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What is Evapotranspiration?
Evapotranspiration (ET) is a measure of how much water is lost from the soil and plants into the atmosphere. It combines two processes:
- Evaporation: Water evaporating directly from soil, grass, and other surfaces
- Transpiration: Water vapor released by plants through their leaves
Think of ET as "water demand" - on a hot, sunny, windy day, more water evaporates and plants need more water. On a cool, cloudy, calm day, less water is lost.
Why does ET matter?
ET helps you make smart watering decisions:
- Irrigation management: Know exactly how much water your lawn or crops lost today
- Water conservation: Avoid overwatering by replacing only what was lost
- Plant health: Understand when plants are experiencing water stress
- Cost savings: Reduce water bills by watering efficiently
For example, if ET shows 0.25 inches today, that's how much water your lawn needs to replace through rainfall or irrigation.
How do we calculate ET?
We use the FAO-56 Penman-Monteith method, which is the international gold standard for ET calculation. This method was developed by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and is trusted by agricultural researchers, irrigation managers, and water agencies worldwide.
What weather data do we use?
Our calculation uses real-time data from your weather station:
- Temperature (high and low) - Drives evaporation rate
- Humidity (high and low) - Lower humidity = more evaporation
- Solar radiation - More sun = more energy for evaporation
- Wind speed - Wind carries away moisture, increasing evaporation
- Your location (latitude and elevation) - Affects solar intensity and air pressure
The calculation process
The Penman-Monteith method considers how energy and moisture move through the atmosphere:
-
Solar energy: We calculate how much sun energy is available to evaporate water, accounting for:
- Time of year (affects sun angle)
- Your latitude (affects day length and intensity)
- Cloud cover (estimated from measured vs. expected solar radiation)
- How much sunlight grass reflects (about 23%)
-
Atmospheric conditions: We determine how "thirsty" the air is by calculating:
- How much moisture the air can hold at current temperatures
- How much moisture is actually in the air (from humidity readings)
- Atmospheric pressure (varies with elevation)
-
Wind effect: We account for how wind speed helps move moisture away from surfaces
-
Energy balance: We combine all these factors using the Penman-Monteith equation to determine the daily water loss in millimeters or inches per day
What assumptions does the calculation make?
To provide a standardized measurement, we make several scientifically-validated assumptions:
Reference crop (grass)
- We calculate ET for a standard grass reference crop - well-watered, 12cm (5 inch) tall grass
- This provides a baseline that works for lawns and can be adjusted for other crops
- Different plants (trees, vegetables, etc.) may use 50-150% of reference ET depending on the crop type
Daily timeframe
- ET is calculated as a daily total (inches or mm per day) that resets at midnight
- The displayed value shows the current day's accumulation so far - it builds throughout the day as temperatures rise, solar radiation accumulates, and conditions change
- ET values are most accurate late in the day (evening/night) when the full daily temperature range and solar radiation have been captured
- Early morning ET values will appear lower because the day's high temperature and peak solar radiation haven't occurred yet
- Soil heat storage is assumed to be negligible over a full day (balances out)
Standard height
- Wind speed is assumed to be measured at or adjusted to 2 meters (6.5 feet) height
- This is the meteorological standard height for wind measurements
Well-watered conditions
- The calculation assumes no water stress - that water is available for plants to use
- Actual evaporation may be lower in drought conditions when soil is very dry
Minimum wind speed
- We use a minimum wind speed of 0.5 m/s (1.1 mph) even if measured wind is lower
- This prevents calculation errors in completely calm conditions and accounts for local air movement
What do the ET values mean?
ET is reported in both millimeters per day (mm/day) and inches per day (in/day).
Important: The ET value you see represents today's total so far since midnight. For the most accurate daily total, check ET in the late evening when the full day's weather conditions have been captured.
Typical ranges (complete 24-hour period):
- Cool/cloudy days: 1-3 mm/day (0.04-0.12 in/day)
- Moderate conditions: 5-7 mm/day (0.20-0.28 in/day)
- Hot summer days: 8-12 mm/day (0.31-0.47 in/day)
- Very hot/windy/dry: Over 12 mm/day (>0.47 in/day)
What if I don't have a lawn?
The reference ET (grass) is still useful! Multiply by a crop coefficient to adjust for your specific plants:
- Turf grass: 0.8-1.0
- Vegetables (mature): 0.9-1.2
- Trees/shrubs: 0.5-0.9
- Flowers: 0.6-1.0
For example, if ET shows 0.30 inches and you have mature tomatoes (coefficient ~1.1), your plants need about 0.33 inches of water.
How accurate is the calculation?
Our implementation has been validated against official FAO-56 test cases with 0.8% accuracy. This means our calculations match the international reference standard to within 1%.
The accuracy of your ET values depends on:
- Sensor quality: Accurate temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and wind readings are essential
- Sensor placement: Sensors should be properly positioned per manufacturer guidelines
- Location settings: Correct latitude and elevation in your station settings
When might ET be unavailable?
ET calculation requires multiple weather parameters. You won't see ET values if your station is missing:
- Solar radiation sensor (required)
- Temperature readings (high and low)
- Humidity readings (high and low)
- Wind speed data
- Location coordinates (latitude) or elevation
Additional resources
For more technical details about the Penman-Monteith method:
- FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 56 - Official methodology
- FAO Chapter 2: Penman-Monteith equation - Equation details
- University of Florida: ET Calculation Guide - Step-by-step methodology
Need help? If you have questions about your ET readings or want to learn more about using ET for irrigation scheduling, contact our support team.
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Frequently Asked Questions for AWN+
The Basics: Alert vs. Watch
Q: What is the difference between a Lightning Alert and a Lightning Watch?
A: A Lightning Alert is meant for action right now — it tells you lightning has been detected close enough that you should take shelter immediately. A Lightning Watch is meant to give you advance notice. It monitors for lightning activity within a distance that you define, so you have time to prepare before conditions become dangerous.
Q: How do I find and change my Lightning Watch settings?
- From the device tile, use the breadcrumb to navigate to the device's detail page, then open and configure the Lightning Watch settings.
- Go to Alerts → Team Alerts, and add Lightning Watch to the correct alert set.
- Confirm the correct people/groups are assigned to that alert set.
- Go to the device's dashboard and click "Start Monitoring."
Q: Who can start monitoring for a team?
A: The station owner controls the Start Monitoring button for AWN+ Teams. The station owner can also grant team members access through the 3-level weather safety permissions, allowing trusted members to help manage monitoring.
Monitoring Periods & Events
Q: What does “monitoring” actually do?
A: Once monitoring is turned on, the system watches for qualifying weather activity. If a monitoring event occurs, you receive a notice. If conditions escalate into an alert event, that notice is designed to prompt immediate action, such as moving to shelter.
Q: Does one activity equal one monitoring period?
A: Yes. A single activity — for example, a soccer game — is covered by one monitoring period for its duration.
Q: What happens if a Watch is still active when a shelter event ends?
A: If a Watch times out while a shelter event is still in progress, the Watch timer does not reset. Instead, it moves into overtime and will not expire until an all-clear is issued.
Notifications
Q: What notifications will my team receive?
A: Team members are notified at each key step:
• When a Lightning Watch is enabled, all team members are notified.
• When the Watch ends, team members are notified again.
• When a monitoring event occurs, the team receives a notification.
• When an alert event occurs, a notification is sent.
• When an alert event ends, a notification is sent.
Tile Views
Q: What is the Small Tile view used for?
A: The Small Tile shows the minimal amount of information needed for a smaller, lower-stakes event, such as a practice. It's designed to help you quickly judge expected downtime for that event rather than provide full monitoring detail.
How Far Away Should My Lightning Watch Be Set?
Lightning Watch distance is a setting you define yourself, so it helps to know how several established safety organizations approach lightning distance thresholds. The table below summarizes commonly referenced guidelines.
|
Guideline |
Recommendation |
Source |
|
The 30-30 Rule |
Seek shelter when the flash-to-thunder gap is 30 seconds or less (roughly 6 miles). Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before resuming activity. |
NLSI, NWS, FEMA, NFHS |
|
Sports & Athletics |
Suspend activity when lightning is within 6 statute miles (about 5 nautical miles). Wait 30 minutes after the last strike within that range. |
NCAA, NATA |
|
Outdoor Workers |
Take shelter when lightning is within 6–8 miles. Wait 30 minutes after the last observed lightning. |
OSHA (referencing NOAA guidance) |
|
More Conservative Approaches |
Use an 8–10 mile threshold to account for lightning at the back edge of a storm and the time needed to reach shelter before it arrives. |
Common for golf, equestrian, and youth sports |
These guidelines are widely used reference points, not a substitute for your organization's own safety policy. Choose a Lightning Watch distance that fits your activity, location, and risk tolerance.
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