Ketzel Levens, meteorologist
National Weather Service
Duluth, MN
How heavy was the rainfall overnight? How much snow fell during the winter storm? How bad is the drought this year? These are all questions that volunteer weather observers for the National Weather Service (NWS) help to answer.
Volunteer weather observers help the NWS fill in the observed precipitation map, and you can become a part of that network! More observations, particularly in rural areas, provide good “ground truth”. This data is crucial for understanding local conditions, improving forecasts, verifying precipitation amounts, and accurately predicting flooding, storms, or droughts. Without these reports, forecasts often rely on estimated precipitation from distant observations, which may not capture local weather maximums or regional conditions. Your reports truly make a difference.
You can become a volunteer observer by joining the CoCoRaHS (Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network) program. CoCoRaHS is a non-profit, community-based network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds who measure and map precipitation.
The commitment is small: just 5 minutes a day to record and report your observations. The only equipment needed is a standard rain gauge, which costs about $45. No previous experience is necessary, and free training is provided online.
To volunteer or learn more, please visit the CoCoRaHS website at www.cocorahs.org.
