Weather Monitor – DIY Raspberry Pi Weather Station with Dropbox Upload

Collects environmental data and securely uploads it to Dropbox. Control the device via the Sense HAT joystick for a truly autonomous setup.

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Note: Feel free to use my code, but remember to credit me. ([email protected])

I’ve spent a lot of time researching weather stations, which inspired me to build my own. The following guide is crafted for deployment in remote locations where reliable data collection is critical.

This solution runs on Python 2.7 and requires a continuous internet connection during setup and operation. It is designed for Raspbian (Raspberry Pi OS).

Read through the instructions carefully before starting to avoid any mid‑setup roadblocks.

Step 1: Install the Dropbox library

The Dropbox SDK is installed via pip. If pip is missing, open a terminal and run:

sudo apt-get install python-pip python3-pip

Then install the library with:

sudo pip install dropbox

This typically completes in 15–30 seconds.

Step 2: Set up Dropbox

To upload files, create a free account at https://www.dropbox.com/ or use an existing one.

On the Dropbox homepage, click the ellipsis (…) in the bottom‑right corner and select Developers.

In the Developers section, click My Apps on the left, then Create app. Choose the Dropbox API, select App folder, and name your app “weather monitor”.

After creation, you’ll be taken to a settings page. Scroll to Generated access token and click Generate. Copy the token immediately – it will only appear on this page.

Step 3: Set up the Pi

Connect the Sense HAT to the Raspberry Pi before powering it on. Once booted, place the script (found at the bottom of this page) on the Pi as weather.py inside the Documents folder.

Replace MY_ACCESS_TOKEN on line 7 with the token you generated. Ensure the Pi has internet access and the Sense HAT is functioning. When the program runs, the collected data will appear in Apps/weather monitor/ on your Dropbox home page.

Step 4: Run weather.py on boot

Open a terminal on the Pi and type:

sudo crontab -e

If it’s your first time using crontab, choose nano as the editor. Scroll to the end of the file and add:

@reboot python /home/pi/Documents/weather.py &

Save with Ctrl+O and exit with Ctrl+X.

Congratulations! You’re almost finished.

Deploy the Weather Monitor to your desired location. Encase it in waterproof housing while ensuring adequate airflow for accurate sensor readings. You may expand the system with a battery, radio communication, or even a Twitter alert for significant weather events. For a surveillance application, see this project.

Source: Weather Monitor