The term anemometer comes from the ancient Greek word for wind which is "anemos" and of course the word meter which is a device used to measure. In this case anemometers are used to measure wind speed which can be a very important piece of information when one is trying to plan certain events. One of the most popular forms of anemometer is the hand held unit that can easily be slipped into your pocket and carried anywhere you are going. The very first real anemometers appeared in Italy and then Northern Europe before finally making it to the Americas.
They were very simply made devices composed of a flat disc that would shake when the wind blew, by looking at how far the flat disc was inclined the observer would be able to get an idea of how much force the wind was exerting. It wasn't until the middle of the 19th century that the first anemometer using cups that were attached to a regular wind vane were seen. With this design, the new anemometers used the speed at which the cups rotated as a way of calculating the speed of the wind.
The wind speed was calculated based on the number of revolutions that the cups made in a given time allowing for relatively accurate wind speed measurements. This method is in fact so accurate that it is still in use today by the majority of weather stations in the world. There other style that is in common use today looks more like a windmill than a standard cup style but works on the same principle. Today's modern digital multimeters and anemometers are much more impressive than the basic cup devices that they started out with and not only can be used to measure wind speed, but can in fact perform several other measurements. By the use of through the use of a laser beam can measure particle density to look at pollution levels and can measure the movement of sound waves. With the appropriate attachments an anemometer can also be used to measure thermal energy in the air to help warn people about the level of UV rays on any given day. While the anemometer is still basically an instrument that is used to measure wind speed they are now used to measure far more information about the wind.
They can be used to measure different aspects such as humidity level, temperature and air pressure, all of which can have a direct effect on the weather. Many people today are opting to have their own personal anemometers and in many cases are choosing from a variety of hand held units that are generally only a few inches long. These units are capable of being very accurate often able to measure the wind speed to within 5% at speeds of up to 100 mph. If you are looking for one of the latest in hand held digital anemometer take a look at the ones offered by Tek-Inst. These are some of the latest units available on the market and are capable of measuring wind speed, humidity and temperature all while still fitting in your backpack or coat pocket.
