On July 1st,2008, Michigan will become the 34th state to participate in a national Community Collaborative Rain,Hail,and Snow Network, or CoCoRaHS. CoCoRaHS is a dense network of volunteers who measure and report precipitation. The network is made up of weather enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds who send in daily observations from their homes,schools,and businesses.

The network originated with the Colorado Climate Center at Colorado State University in 1998, a year after a major flood occurred in Fort Collins. In the years since, CoCoRaHS has expanded rapidly with over 9,000+ observers in more than thirty states. The goals are simple. 1) provide accurate high-quality precipitation data. 2) increase the density of precipitation data available throughout the country by encouraging volunteer weather observing. 3) encourage citizens to have fun participating in meteorological science and heighten their awareness about the weather. 4)provide enrichment activities in water and weather resources for teachers, educators, and the community.

The Michigan State Climate Office at Michigan State University and the National Weather Service are looking for observers to join the Michigan CoCoRaHS Network. Ideally they would like to have one observer per square mile in urban areas and every 36 square miles in rural areas. Anyone interested it requires minimal training and only takes about 5 minutes per day. The observations can be taken from your home,school, or office. To be part of the network you will need: 1) an official 4" diameter rain gauge 2) to attend a 90 minute training session. 3) an Internet or phone connection. 4) an interest in the weather!

VISIT THE Michigan CoCoRaHS website for a list of training sessions and applications