I currently have a weather station located at my home, where I record daily precipitation amounts, including rain, hail, snow, and sleet.  I belong to a group called the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, or CoCoRaHS for short.  I have been a member of CoCoRaHS since June 2005, but I have precipitation data for my current station since 2003.
    If you are interested in becoming a member of CoCoRaHS you can check out their website for more information, or you can contact me here and I will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have about CoCoRaHS.


Become A Precipitation Observer
   
    Have you ever wondered how much rain you got from that last rain shower or thunderstorm that passed through your area, or how much rain your neighbors received from the same storms?  Well, with the Community Collaborative Rain Hail & Snow Network, or CoCoRaHS for short, you can become a weather observer in the Southeast Kansas area. 
    All we ask of you, as a volunteer precipitation observer, is that you enter your data via the internet once a day between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM.  You will receive a 4" diameter rain gauge to use, or the rain gauge is yours to keep with a $25 contribution to CoCoRaHS.  The rain gauge normally sells for about $35. 
    Each time a rain, hail or snow storm crosses your area, volunteers take measurements of precipitation.  These precipitation reports are then recorded on our Web site www.cocorahs.org. The data are then displayed and organized for many of our end users to analyze and apply to daily situations ranging from water resource analysis and severe storm warnings to neighbors comparing how much rain fell in their backyards. 
    As the CoCoRaHS local coordinator for Cherokee, and Crawford  Counties In Southeast Kansas, I will help you setup your rain gauge, to help CoCoRaHS maintain accurate data measurements.  Currently  in the two counties in which I'm coordinator, we have stations in Pittsburg, Kansas, Cherokee, Kansas, near McCune, Kansas, near Farlington, Kansas, near Hepler, Kansas and near Girard, Kansas.
    As you know, part of an area can receive two inches of rainfall, and another area close by may not receive any rainfall at all. I'm currently looking for interested persons of all ages to take part in this important venture.  The data we collect is currently used by The National Weather Service, other meteorologists, hydrologists, emergency managers, city utilities (water supply, water conservation, storm water), insurance adjusters, USDA, engineers, mosquito control, ranchers and farmers, outdoor & recreation interests, teachers, students, and neighbors in the community.

Russel Parsons
CoCoRaHS Local Area Coordinator
Crawford & Cherokee Counties In Kansas

Please Visit http://new.cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=aboutus To Find Out More About CoCoRaHS!!

To Join CoCoRaHS You Can Fill Out An Application Here

You Can Access Our CoCoRaHS Data In Map Or Table Format.

My Contact Information Can Be Found Here