Farmers, rural residents sought for rainfall data collection

The Florida Climate Center at Florida State University is looking for farmers and rural citizen volunteers to help collect rainfall data across the state as part of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, better known as CoCoRaHS.

“Official measuring stations across the state are sparse, and we often will miss rainfall due to the localized nature of our rains” notes Melissa Griffin, Coordinator of Research Programs and Services at the Florida Climate Center. “With trained volunteers, CoCoRaHS helps fill these gaps and supply users with a better picture of the state’s rainfall patterns.”

The information provided by farmers, ranchers and rural citizens can be very helpful to the National Weather Service by verifying radar rainfall estimates across the state.

The volunteer CoCoRaHS program started in Colorado in 1998 and has expanded to 32 states where more than 10,000 observers take daily measurements of rain, hail, and snow.

To volunteer as a CoCoRaHS observer or for more information, visit www.cocorahs.org or email Melissa Griffin.