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:
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Texas Coordinator:
Troy Kimmel
Lecturer, Studies in Weather and Climate
Department of Geography and the Environment
College of Liberal Arts
University of Texas at Austin
Phone: 512-232-1590
Southeast Texas Coordinator:
Sam Shamburger
National Weather Service, Lake Charles, LA
Phone: 337-477-5285
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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 |