24-03-2025
Volunteer rainfall monitors wanted
Mar. 24—DULUTH — Do you have a 4-inch diameter rain gauge and access to the internet? If so, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' State Climatology Office wants your weather observations.
The office is seeking volunteer rainfall and precipitation monitors for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, or CoCoRaHS, which includes more than 20,000 volunteers nationwide who measure and report rain and snow totals from their backyards.
Volunteers are particularly needed outside the Twin Cities metro area.
"Rainfall and snowfall amounts can vary widely over a short distance, so a variety of reports is helpful in the same community or area," State Climatologist Luigi Romolo said in a news release. "We have some areas in greater Minnesota that have very few reporting stations. The more we have across the state, the better information we all have."
Volunteers will receive online training on observing weather trends and submitting their precipitation and weather event reports, the news release said. Volunteers can receive discounts on 4-inch diameter rain gauges if they can't provide their own.
The data, reported online by participants, is used by scientists to monitor drought, assess floods and guide agricultural decisions, Romolo said.
"Over time, as more volunteer reports make our precipitation maps more accurate, these observations provide critical guidance on Minnesota's changing climate," Romolo said. "This is also a great educational activity for families with kids and a rewarding hobby for anyone interested in weather or climate."
For more information or to sign up, visit
or contact Luigi Romolo at
