Techniques provided herein are directed toward adjusting the rate at which a mobile device's barometric pressure sensor takes measurements, based on whether movement is detected from motion sensors, such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, and the like. Where movement is below a threshold (e.g., below a threshold speed or within a threshold distance), then the barometric pressure sensor can reduce the sampling rate to a rate that still enables the mobile device to account for changes in the weather. If movement is detected (e.g., greater than a threshold distance), then the sampling rate of the barometric pressure sensor increases (i.e., to a normal rate for determining vertical movement changes).