As winter approaches, volunteers are sought by National Weather Service to record data
By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — The County officially entered freezing territory once again on Oct. 4, with temperature dropping just below freezing on the 5th which signifies the inevitable return of fleece and flannel into the wardrobe.
The first freeze came late this year; normally it hits around Sept. 22. The delayed drop in the proverbial mercury is right along the lines of this summer’s warm weather. To put it in prospective, Caribou had 2.64 inches of snow at this time last year.
While the County has forgone the flurries for the time being, volunteers are currently sought by the National Weather Service (NWS) to participate in data collection programs to assist in recording climatological and precipitation information.
“We’re always looking for volunteers, especially for the CoCoRaHS program right now,” said Pete Rahe, observing program leader at the NWS is Caribou. “At this time in the county, we only have a total of three people involved in the program.”
Participation in the program is fairly simple — all one needs to do is purchase a rain gauge and report the results online. Aside from spurring an interest in local precipitation levels, the data collected by volunteers is vital for filling in the gaps between NWS gauges and automated sensors and are instrumental in verifying NWS weather advisory alerts and warnings and can even form the basis for the alerts, according to Rahe.
There are two primary requirements to participate in the CoCoRaHS program, the first being access to the Internet due to the Web-based data entry program and the second qualification is the purchase of a 4-inch plastic rain gauge that costs about $30 after shipping.
“The reason participants have to purchase a rain gauge is because everyone has to use the same type for consistency,” Rahe explained.
Short- or long-term commitment is fine for participants, as long as volunteers are willing to report on a daily basis — even if it’s a “zero” report.
“We encourage schools to get involved and we have training sessions that we can conduct here or anywhere around the state,” Rahe explained, adding that the program also features an excellent online training course for participants who might not be able to meet for personal program training.
Individuals interested in participating in the program can contact Rahe at 492-0182.
