View the latest CoCoRaHS reports here!
 

The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow (CoCoRaHS) network is a unique, nonprofit, community-based network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation including rain, hail and snow.

CoCoRaHS originated with the Colorado Climate Center at Colorado State University in 1998 in response to the Fort Collins flood of 1997.  Today, CoCoRaHS has over 6,500 observers in 27 states with a potential goal of 20,000 by 2010 as more states are added.  Nine additional states will become active in 2008.  The Louisiana project was made possible via a collaborative effort between Colorado State, Louisiana State University, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Delta Community College, and the National Weather Service.

Everyone is invited to participate.  The only requirements are an enthusiasm for watching and reporting weather conditions using a standard 4" scientific rain gauge (which can be purchased for about $29).

Each time a rain, hail, or snow storm crosses the area, volunteers will measure and record precipitation, then submit the data to the CoCoRaHS website. This data is plotted with other reporting stations for analysis by a variety of organizations from the National Weather Service, hydrologists, emergency managers, city utilities, insurance adjusters, mosquito control, farmers, teachers, students, and those interested in precipitation data.

Anyone interested in participating can find more information at the CoCoRaHS website:  www.cocorahs.org.  Already interested, become a CoCoRaHS Observer now at:  http://www.cocorahs.org/Application.aspx. Further questions can be directed to the coordinators listed below:
 

Louisiana Coordinators:
Don Wheeler
Delta Community College, Monroe, LA
Phone:  318-342-3722

Malcolm Moreau
Louisiana State University
Southern Regional Climate Center
Baton Rouge, LA
Phone:  225-578-5021

Southwest, Central and South-central Louisiana Coordinators:
Jonathan Brazzell and Donovan Landreneau
National Weather Service, Lake Charles, LA
Phone:  337-477-5285