Every raindrop counts to local weather monitors

A storm in the summer of 1997 that dumped 14 inches of rain on portions of Fort Collins, Colo., was the straw that broke the camel's back.

The localized cloudburst convinced Colorado meteorologists that more pinpointed weather observations across a wider area would better serve the community.

With more specific data, residents could be warned of flooding issues that could save lives and property, they said.

That need gave birth to the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network CoCoRaHS -- pronounced "Coco-RAHZ."

And now the concept is spreading across the country.

"It is giving us a higher definition of where the storms are happening, how much rain has fallen and filling in the gaps of where we didn't have reports before," said meteorologist Tim Halbach of the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Romeoville, who is helping to organize the Illinois program.

The community-based network of volunteers records rain and snow. The information is sent to the local weather station and becomes part of the weather forecasts.

Each participant works independently to collect data that gives the detailed picture of precipitation found at www.cocorahs.org.

Volunteers send in their daily report and immediately see their data plotted on the county map. Fascinating local patterns are beginning to take shape and revealing a varied rainfall pattern.

One day last week, DuPage reported a range of .04 inches of rain in Lisle to 3.06 inches in Downers Grove.

"The results on the Internet interest me," said Lisle volunteer Carl Grumbles, who has a background teaching science. "I would have a certain number and a few miles away someone reported half of it or twice what I received at my location."

"I was surprised what kind of an August we had," said volunteer Robert Guico of Carol Stream. "I can say with confidence that we had 9.17 inches of rain."

Reading the official rain gauge and sending in a report only takes a few minutes, Guico said. He feels more people would volunteer if they knew the information helps meteorologists calibrate their totals.

"It is a little point of information that I have in my own backyard," Grumbles said. "But when you put enough of those points together, then you can plot out a larger picture that makes a difference to those at the county or state level."

Volunteers are adding important scientific information that in the future may redefine how we think about and plan for rain and snowfall coverage.

Bob Nield in Downers Grove said people interested in the country's weather or with environmental concerns would be interested in participating. He has not been surprised by his recorded amounts but finds the information helpful in knowing how much water he should give his own garden.

Since volunteering in February, Darien Nichols-Smith's highest recorded amount in Aurora was 2.32 inches. As a volunteer and a gardener, she feels she is contributing to the whole while benefiting her own herbs.

Across the country, 11,000 volunteers are on board in 22 states. Florida, Kentucky and Alabama will begin CoCoRaHS by the end of the year.

Illinois has 600 volunteers, so far, with 44 in DuPage County. The ultimate goal is to have one or more volunteers per square mile in populated urban and suburban areas and one per township in rural areas.

Although Lisle could use a few more volunteers, Naperville and Aurora need at least 20 additional volunteers. On Oct. 11, a workshop will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in Naperville for new observers on how and where to install the uniform rain gauge, along with proper reading and reporting techniques. Pre-registration is necessary; call (815) 397-7714 for details.

If you would like to know more about The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Romeoville, it will have an open house from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday.

On display will be a weather balloon, amateur radio operations, satellite and Doppler radar and weather maps. An overview of NWS Web pages, NOAA Weather Radio and early warning processes will be shown. A river forecast model will be demonstrated.

The Will County Emergency Management Agency incident command vehicle will be on display.

Each tour will take roughly 50 minutes beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing throughout the day on a first-come basis. No registration is necessary; the open house will be held rain or shine.

Scouting and other youth groups are welcomed. The offices are at 333 West University Drive in Romeoville, accessible off Renwick Road by the airport. You can't miss seeing the overhead white radar equipment. Check out www. weather.gov/chicago for details and directions.

Halbach knows CoCoRaHS and the open house are the kind of experiences that people and children with a curiosity for weather would enjoy.

His personal interest in becoming a meteorologist was heightened when he saw a tornado a little too close for comfort from his parents' viewpoint.

"I had always been interested in weather and in 1996 the Oakfield tornado went about 10 miles from my house in Wisconsin," Halbach said.

The experience clinched his interest and he went on to study atmospheric sciences in college.

Families of budding meteorologists, retirees and those interested in weather, gardening and science are just some of the people who have joined the local CoCoRaHs effort. You can be part of the fun, too.