1. Observing Climate - Surface
Water (Con’t)
Precipitation
Rain Gage
Hail Pad
Snow Board
Science Concepts
Definition

2. Observing Climate - Precipitation
How would you measure precipitation?
What units does the TV weather person report precipitation?

3. Observing Climate - Precipitation
Measurement
• Non-recording Rain Gage
- Belfort Non-Recording Precipitation
Gage - Model Meets National
Weather Service specifications
Five parts comprise the
complete instrument - the
receiver, the overflow can,
the measuring tube, the
measuring stick, and the support. Precipitation caught in the
receiver is funneled into the measuring tube.
• Non-recording Cylinder Rain Gage
- Rain first fills the inner cylinder, graduated in
hundredths to 1", then overflows into the outer
cylinder.

4. Observing Climate - Precipitation
Measurement (Con’t)
• Recording Rain Gages
- RainWise RAINEW WIRELESS rain
gauge - 8" diameter collector;
precipitation fills a bi-stable tipping
bucket mechanism, causing the
mechanism to tip; each tip of the
bucket measures 0.01 of an inch
- Belfort Weighing Rain Gage - Series
5-780/ Gage converts the weight of
collected precipitation into the equivalent
depth of accumulated water in conventional
units of inches or millimeters. An 8-inch
diameter, knife-edge orifice collects all forms
of precipitation. Rain travels through a funnel
into the galvanized weighing bucket.
Tipping Bucket
Counting
Contacts
Recording
Mechanism
Scale

5. Observing Climate - Precipitation
Hail
• Hailstones travel up to 80 mph or 128 km/h
• Hailstones make dents or craters that can
cause serious damage to property and pose
potential danger to animals and humans
Measurement
• Hailpad
> 1-in thick Styrofoam pad covered
with heavy duty aluminum foil to
measure the number and size of
hailstones
> Count the size and number of dents
and relate dent size to actual
hailstone size
epodviewer.php3?oid=257376

6. Observing Climate - Precipitation
How do we measure snow?
• Snowboard - a lightly colored board, a 2 ft by 2 ft plywood painted white works
- Locate away from trees, buildings, and shadows
- Avoid areas that are known to be prone to drifting; mark location of
snowboard with a stake so you can find it after a fresh snowfall
• Measure to the nearest tenth inch
• Should not be measured more than four
times in 24 h
- Clean off board when you take each of four daily measurements
> Can measure hourly to get rate, but don’t clean off board each hour
- When snow ends, add up the measurements from each time the
snowboard was cleaned to reach a storm total
How do we measure snow?
Snow Measurement Guidelines for National
Weather Service Snow Spotters
snow_spotters/SnowMeasurement.pdf