Less useful in winter

This is my first weather station. Perhaps I'm expecting too much from these systems. I live in upstate New York where it snows. I purchased this system to be able to see more than just outdoor temperature and humidity. When it snows (which is pretty much all winter) the anemometer and wind vane get covered in snow and can't turn. Therefore, I am not able to see wind speed or direction in the winter. Also, the solar panel is covered in snow many inches deep. So, I guess the only additional parameter I can see that is not available from the cheap temp/humidity sensors is barometric pressure. I'm hoping for better functionality in the summer. Although a manual is included, it does not give enough information about the display. For example, the wind gust indicator (yes, I was able to see wind speed for a few days before it snowed) does not indicate the time window. Is that the biggest gust in the past hour? day? since midnight? The book does not explain. There is an up/down arrow next to the barometric pressure, which I am assuming indicates if the pressure is rising or falling--a reasonable assumption, but the book does not explain. There is in addition a number next to it which, again I'm assuming means the change in pressure over some period of time. What period? There is just not enough explanation. The engineer or technical writer who put the manual together did not put themselves in the mindset of a customer who does not know what they know. I'm an engineer and write manuals to explain my products. I will occasionally get a customer ask a question, and I will direct them to the answer in the manual. I understand that most people do not want to read manuals these days, but some do, and the information should be there. The lack of explanation in the manual is not the reason for lack of 5 stars. I had hoped this weather station would function in snowy weather. Do not mount this where you cannot get to it to clear the snow regularly. I am contemplating rigging up a remote air gun to blast the snow off the unit.

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