#Tools meteorologist use free#

Results: A functioning rain gauge to measure rain each day at home.Ĭonclusion: The rain gauge is a simple yet effective way of measuring how much rain falls in one spot. With time, you will learn which months in our area tend to be wet and which months tend to be dry.

#Tools meteorologist use free#

Feel free to make a bar graph, line graph, etc as the days go on. Record your results daily and after each rain storm. Ideally, you want the gauge to be clear from obstructions.ġ0. Place the rain gauge outside, preferably away from trees and away from the house. This will act to funnel the rain into the cylindrical cup.ĩ. Take the top piece of the bottle and place it upside down inside the rain gauge. To do this, you will align a ruler with the duct tape and mark the duct tape in half inch intervals. Now we have to turn the duct tape into a homemade ruler. Be sure to match the edge of the duct tape with the top surface layer of the clay.ħ. Tape a piece of the duct tape to the side of the bottle. The clay will help keep the rain gauge from tipping over in the wind.Ħ. This gives us a smooth surface allowing for a more accurate rainfall reading. Place it in the bottle and use the back of a marker to beat it down, making the surface smooth and pushing out as many air pockets as possible. This can be done by using the modeling clay.

Next we need to create a flat surface at the bottom of the bottle. Using the scissors, cut along the line until the bottle is cut in half.Ĥ. This is going to be where you cut the bottle with the scissors.ģ. Use the marker and draw a line on the bottle using the edge of the paper as a guide. Using the sheet of paper, wrap it around the bottle covering nearly 75% of the bottle, keeping the top exposed.Ģ. The plastic bottle will be used as the rain gauge and it needs to be cut open with the scissors. Purpose: Build an instrument that can be used to track how much rain falls each day.ġ. You can always send your rainfall total from your town to our meteorologist at Spectrum Bay News 9! From there, you can keep daily measurements of rain in your backyard. Let’s do an experiment by creating our own rain gauge. Now that you know why rain gauges are super important, it’s time for you to play a role as a scientist. Rain gauges provide an exact measure and ground confirmation of specific weather events. However, the measurements estimated by radars and satellites may not be entirely accurate. Meteorologist use this information to warn the public of hazardous weather.Īdvanced technology such as radars and satellites allow meteorologists to see rainfall events in real time. If nearby rain gauges start reporting significant rainfall totals, it could be a hint that heavy rain is on the way. Remember, rain gauges are located all over the county. & amp lt video poster=& amp quot amp amp quot width=& amp quot 598& amp quot height=& amp quot 336& amp quot controls=& amp quot controls& amp quot src=& amp quot amp amp quot type=& amp quot video/mp4& amp quot & amp gt & amp lt img src=& amp quot amp amp quot width=& amp quot 598& amp quot height=& amp quot 336& amp quot /& amp gt & amp lt /video& amp gt ĭata from rain gauges also help meteorologist prepare for other weather-related disasters such as floods. It can give a farmer a heads of that a flood may be coming. The opposite is true when the rain gauge shows a lot of rain over a period of weeks or months. If the rain gauge shows very little or no rain for weeks or months, the crops risk dying. For example, farmers rely on rain to water their crops. Monitoring droughts is one of the most important uses for rain gauges worldwide, especially when it comes to agriculture. The data can also be used to monitor droughts. A collection of observations from several rain gauges spread across an area can help a meteorologist see what areas had the heaviest rain. The water sitting in the cylindrical cup is accumulated rainfall total.Īfter the storm has passed, an observer can see exactly how much rain fell. The shape of the funnel also helps keep out unwanted debris such as leaves. The funnel empties the rain water into the cylindrical cup below. The rain gauge works by capturing and collecting rain water into the funnel. It’s a very simple design dating back to 1441 and it’s effective, which is why the design hasn’t changed much over time. It consist of a cylindrical cup with a funnel-like system collecting and capturing rain water. The original design of the rain gauge hasn’t changed much over the last few hundred years.

BELOW: Take the 5-question quiz on rain gauges!.

BELOW: What you need for this project + watch Nick's video.

This story looks at their history and their importance to forecasting.

Our latest Project Weather School looks at rain gauges.