Did you ever wanted to know how much rain just fell in your own backyard? How about keeping track on a month’s worth of rain amounts by recording them every day? Rain gauges are great for anyone who’s a weather enthusiast. They can be placed in the backyard, and after a rainstorm hits, you just read the totals.
*Decorative gauges
The decorative rain gauges that can be purchased at most home improvement stores at least give you some idea of how much rain fell, but they aren’t the most reliable. Those rain gauges come in many different sizes and shapes, so therefore amounts can differ greatly even if they were to stay in one place during a thunderstorm. Also, they may not be sturdy enough to withstand high winds, getting knocked over quite easily. They’re still a charm to have for your garden, but make sure they firmly stick to the ground.
*Cylinder and tipping bucket gauges
The National Weather Service supports at least two different rain gauges. One is a plastic cylinder gauge that is popular for the CoCoRaHS (Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network), and the tipping bucket is used for weather stations.
The cylinder gauge is perhaps the most accurate way in measuring rain. It’s affordable, and since it’s made out of plastic, there won’t be any water absorbing through it, so that’s one secret for measuring accurate rainfall amounts. In its package, a measuring tube, funnel, and outer cylinder are used to collect rainfall up to eleven inches (279 mm). Once the measuring tube is overflowed, the rain water will then collect in the cylinder. The measuring tube must be emptied and refilled from the leftover water with the help of the funnel.
The tipping bucket is used for automatic weather stations, but it can be very expensive. It uses gravity, and it “tips” each time it records .01 inch of rainfall. It automatically removes the rain water and reports the amount to a system electronically. This is useful in case you won’t be in town and you can see what you missed.
Rain gauges are fun to have for anyone. They keep track of rainfall almost anywhere in the world, including desert areas. Pick a gauge that works best for you and take advantage of being a weather observer!
