CoCoRaHS OBSERVER
TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT

Thanks to the Everett Mall Best Buy
There will be a Door Prize given away at the end of the class
to One Lucky Participant!

Date: Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Time: 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management

CoCoRaHS of Snohomish County in cooperation with
Snohomish County Office of Emergency Management,

Will be providing comprehensive CoCoRaHS Observer training to new and veteran
Observers, including citizens, and those affiliated with emergency management.
Spotters are needed throughout all of Snohomish County.
If you are interested in attending this training please contact Sean Kiaer at
snocounty.cocorahs@... to reserve your spot

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE SNOHOMISH COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
REGARDING THIS TRAINING SESSION. ALL INQUIREIES ARE TO BE DIRECTED TO SNOHOMISH
COUNTY COCORAHS

As the cold weather hits there are a number of things to remember for your
safety.

1 Frostbite

Please call 911 immediately if you are having chest pain, difficulty breathing,
severe bleeding, sudden weakness or numbness, or if you think you have a medical
emergency.

Understanding Frostbite - Diagnosis & Treatment
How Is Frostbite Diagnosed?

Frostbite is initially diagnosed based on your symptoms and a physical exam.
Various imaging techniques may be used to determine the severity of tissue
damage three to five days after rewarming. After one to three weeks, imaging may
also be used to help evaluate the condition of blood vessels that may have been
affected and to identify severely frostbitten areas that may need to be
amputated.
What Are the Treatments for Frostbite?

Most people recover completely from frostbite, though the affected area may be
more susceptible in the future to discomfort from cold weather, repeat
frostbite, and damage from the sun. The first line of treatment is to rewarm the
affected area.

Frostnip can be treated at home. If you think you may have frostnip, get out of
the cold as soon as possible. If your clothes are wet, change into dry clothing.
Immerse the affected area in warm water (100º to 105º Fahrenheit) to thaw the
frozen tissue. Do not use hotter water, as this may burn your skin. If warm
water is not available, warm the affected area with body heat. For instance,
warm your hands by tucking them into your armpits; warm your nose, ears, or face
by covering them with dry hands.

CAUTION! Do not rub the affected area because this may increase damage to the
tissue. Do not use a heating pad, heat lamp, stove, fireplace, or radiator to
rewarm the affected area; these may warm your skin unevenly or may burn your
skin, particularly if it's numb and you cannot tell how hot your skin is getting
on the surface.

If the skin tingles and burns as it warms, your circulation is returning. The
skin may turn red but should not blister or swell. If the skin does not seem to
warm, if it remains numb, or if it does blister or swell, seek immediate medical
attention.

Frostbite requires emergency medical care. If you think you may have frostbite,
get out of the cold as soon as possible. If you cannot get medical help
immediately and there's no risk that the area might be refrozen before you get
help, warm the affected area as you would for frostnip.

CAUTION! If the affected area might be refrozen before you get medical help, do
not warm it; this greatly increases the risk of damage. Also, do not walk on
frostbitten feet or toes unless absolutely necessary.

At the hospital, frostbite is usually treated comprehensively because its
severity cannot be diagnosed in the first few days. Usually, patients need to be
admitted for observation. Initially, the hospital staff will probably do the
following:

     * Rapidly warm the affected area in water for 15 to 30 minutes.
     * Remove blisters that contain clear or milky fluid, and cover them with
aloe vera cream. (Blisters that contain blood may not be removed.)
     * Splint and elevate the affected area and wrap it in a loose bandage.
     * Administer ibuprofen to limit inflammation, tetanus toxoid to prevent
tetanus infection, and antibiotics to prevent or treat infection. Narcotic
medication may be needed to treat pain as the sensation to area returns.

Later hospital treatment may include whirlpool therapy and physical therapy to
promote circulation. Surgery, including amputation of the affected area, is
sometimes necessary. Amputation is performed only if the tissues are dead. This
determination is typically made between three and six weeks after the injury.

WebMD Medical Reference

More on frostbite
http://firstaid.webmd.com/understanding-frostbite-treatment
http://www.outdoorplaces.com/Features/Mountain/frostbite/


Hypothermia

Also called: Cold-related illness

In cold weather, your body may lose heat faster than you can produce it. The
result is hypothermia, or abnormally low body temperature. It can make you
sleepy, confused and clumsy. Because it happens gradually and affects your
thinking, you may not realize you need help. That makes it especially dangerous.
A body temperature below 95° F is a medical emergency and can lead to death if
not treated promptly.

Anyone who spends much time outdoors in cold weather can get hypothermia. You
can also get it from being cold and wet, or under cold water for too long.
Babies and old people are especially at risk. Babies can get it from sleeping in
a cold room.

Start Here http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/hypothermia.htm

http://www.emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/staysafe/hypothermia.asp

More on Hypothermia
http://www.hypothermia.org/
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hypothermia.html

Layering for the Cold

The Importance of Layering

The Importance of Layering

Protective clothing is the most important equipment you will carry into the
backcountry. During hostile weather, your attire must create a comfortable and
safe personal environment to withstand any number of varying weather conditions.
This thin buffer against the elements defends your very survival, so clothing
must be chosen and fitted with care.

No all-purpose garment can adapt to varying climates or temperatures, but
versatile garments can contribute to a system of layered clothing that can be
adjusted to any situation. The key to layering is to have breathable and
moisture managing warm layers that can be peeled away or layered on top of one
another when necessary. When you over-exert and become sweaty, take a layer off
and put it in your pack. When you begin to get chilly, put a layer on. Versatile
outdoor clothing adapts to protect you from thermal stress, rain, snow, and
wind.


Body Physiology

When conditions are unfavorable, your body adjusts energy production and
circulatory priorities to maintain life. Circulation to the extremities is
curtailed if core temperatures drop slightly as the brain and central nervous
system become top priority.

The key to comfort and survival in winter conditions is to maintain a near
constant skin temperature. If the skin temperature drops, you're losing energy
and the internal body controls go into high gear to produce more heat. If the
skin temperature is too high, sweating starts to function as an evaporative
cooling system. Both conditions are not favorable for health or safety in the
cold.

To maintain comfort and energy production you also need to pay attention to your
body's nutritional requirements for sustained physical effort. Typically,
extended activity requires a 4,000 calorie diet containing 50% carbohydrates,
30% proteins, and 20% fats. Carbohydrates are readily converted to usable
energy, while proteins and fats require energy for digestion. Try to maintain an
intake of carbohydrates throughout the day, "eating your way down the trail," as
author Robert Wood put it. Your body will work best regulating itself with the
proper intake of nutrients throughout the day. Your body does the best job of
digesting food while at rest during cold weather, so it makes sense to eat your
heaviest meal in the evening, as opposed to breakfast, on days of high activity
(especially when you are camping in the backcountry). The warmth of your
sleeping bag is the best environment for renewing your energy supply to prepare
for the next day's hike.


Tropical & Desert Climates

Clothing protects from the heat as well as the cold. Clothing for extreme heat
must be loose fitting, moisture wicking, and vented to pump the hot air out. It
should be light colored to reflect solar heat and rugged enough to resist
abrasion from the terrain. Use sunblock on all exposed skin and a wide brimmed
hat to prevent sunburn on your scalp and face.


Winter-Weight Attire

Proper clothing for any winter activity consists of three basic layers:_the skin
layer, insulating layers, and shell outerwear. The skin layer should insulate,
but more importantly, wick moisture away from the skin as perspiration is
produced. This reduces evaporative heat loss. The insulating layers should be
fleece, wool, goosedown, or synthetic fibers. Cotton should not be used for
winter wilderness dressing as it retains too much moisture. Shell outerwear must
be waterproof, breathable, and windproof to protect you from the elements and
still let body vapor escape.

The Skin Layer

Winter underwear is not only the first layer in your outdoor wardrobe, it is the
most important. Underwear should trap an insulating layer of air next to the
skin and also transport any moisture build-up to the outer clothing where it can
be vented to the outside.

Synthetics, silks and wool/synthetic blends are particularly good at drawing
moisture away from the skin to eliminate evaporative skin cooling, a major cause
of heat loss. These fabrics are also quick-drying to keep you warm even if you
get wet. Active underwear is available in several different weights and fabrics
for different activities. Lightweight underwear is used for aerobic winter
sports and Midweight and Heavyweight underwear are utilized by more serious
arctic travelers or less active people. There is even a windstopper fabric that
you can wear without a shell which makes it ideal for runners, cyclists or
skiers. Keep in mind, however, that cotton is not a suitable underwear fabric
for outdoor use as it does not dry quickly which can lead to hypothermia.



Mid-Layer Pants

Your legs carry the load and take the greatest abuse while in the backcountry.
Rugged leg protection is important. Pants must be constructed from tight-weaved,
abrasion-resistant material that is heavily sewn and reinforced at wear points
yet styled for movement and utility. Cold weather calls for fleece, wool, or
synthetic pants with `warm when wet' characteristics to prevent hypothermia.
Backcountry pants should also be windproof, waterproof, and breathable for snow
or wet conditions.

Mid-Layer Tops

Synthetic fleece or wool blend tops are appropriate middle layers for active
outdoor adventures. If you wear a shirt under your fleece or wool top, be sure
that the shirt does not fit tightly so moisture next to your skin can vent
outward. Air flow is very important. (Never wear cotton tops while active
because it will trap moisture next to your skin.) There is a tremendous variety
of fleece tops available in assorted weights and styles to fit your needs.
Fleece is versatile, easy to care for, dries quickly. and insulates even when
wet. Wool acts in many of the same ways as fleece in that it insulates even when
wet and traps warm air next to your body for insulation. Either choice is a good
one for keeping you warm and moving moisture away from the skin while being
active outdoors in cold weather.

Insulation Layer

A layering system needs a midweight filled parka, fleece parka, goose down vest,
or fleece vest that is lightweight and can pack into a small stuff sack into
your backpack. This layer is the one to pull out when you stop for lunch on a
ski tour, cycle trip, or hike. Vests
work well for active people giving them greater arm mobility and more
ventilation. The heat retention of the garment is determined by its loft
(thickness) and how well the insulation resists heat loss. A goose down, fleece,
or fiber-filled garment will be your best insulation against the cold.

Goose down is the lightest insulator known to man. Goose down is highly
compressible, resilient, and gives great mobility. Quality synthetic fills also
work very well and are non-allergenic. Heavyweight fleece is also non-allergenic
and very effective with the added advantage of keeping you warm if it gets wet
because it dries very quickly. Whether you choose parkas or vests, fleece or
goose down, they will all work well as an insulating layer against cold weather.

Shell Outerwear

The outer shell of your winter attire is your first line of defense against the
elements. Gore-Tex® or other waterproof/breathable fabrics are ideal for
backcountry shell outerwear. They shed water and pass moisture away from your
body to keep you warm and dry. Shell Outerwear for backcountry use must have the
following 4 primary characteristics:

1) Be waterproof. Wetness is the greatest threat to your safety. Wet clothing
loses heat significantly. It could be said that mastering the wilderness is the
art of staying dry.

2) Block the wind. Wind carries huge caches of heat away and can drop your body
temperature down below desirable levels. Protection is needed to stay
comfortable and warm.

3) Resist abrasion. There is nothing more damaging to clothing than a thorny
thicket. If your safety relies on your shell, it must be tough and able to
withstand abuse from the trail.

4) Fit and be easy to use. In the most severe weather you will notice the
difference between easy or not easy to use. It is then that you have mountain
boots with gaiters, mittens, a down jacket, a wool hat, and all the vents
battened down. You will notice if your shell fits, if it shelters your face from
the elements, is easy to unzip with your mittens on, and if you are able to move
around while wearing all of it tromping through the wilderness.

As well as the necessary characteristics mentioned previously, you want to look
for other features that are useful in your backcountry shell outerwear. When
looking for a backcountry shell parka, look for an integral hood with ample
visor and a drawcord, draft and rain flaps over all zippers and pockets,
ventilation gussets (especially at wrists), ample room for insulating layers,
and pit zips to ventilate under your arms. When looking for backcountry shell
pants, look for leg zippers with rain flaps for putting on over boots, a
drawcord/elastic waist section, and elastic at the ankles. These features will
give you that added extra comfort and mobility when you hit the trail.


Winter Accessories

When suiting up for the outdoors, you can not neglect the accessories that will
keep your head, hands and feet warm. Footwear, gloves or mittens, and hats are
key in keeping your extremities warm in the frigid winter months.

Foot Protection
Your socks should be wool or synthetic but never cotton. Socks must fit into
your boots with some breathing room left over for air circulation. Always have a
dry pair handy.

When choosing boots, fit comes first, durability second and waterproofness,
third. The most high tech boot made is no good to you if it doesn't fit your
feet properly. Fortunately, we offer a wide selection from many manufacturers to
make sure you can find the perfect fit. Good boots will fend off rocks, ankle
bruises, water, and will enhance your agility. Please see our "Feet First"
brochure for more detailed boot information.

Lastly, Gaiters over your boots will keep snow, wetness, and brambles off your
legs and socks. In deep snow or brush, this is an accessory not to do without.

Hand Protection

The hands transmit heat rapidly and they are the first to get cold out in winter
weather. Mittens are the warmest protection and are mandatory for arctic
backcountry conditions. Gloves are suitable for most Mid-Atlantic winters,
however, liners under gloves or mittens are a must.

Head and Neck Protection

We radiate 30% of our body heat from our head. In cold conditions, a convertible
balaclava is the most versatile and easy to use. Convertible balaclavas can be
worn as full head and neck protection, head protection only, or neck protection
only. Synthetic facemasks and helmet liners also provide exceptional warmth and
keep the head dry. Keeping your head, neck, and face dry and warm is very
important for your health and overall body temperature regulation in severe cold
weather.


Prevent Thermal Illness

The body works best with an internal temperature of 98.6˚F and a skin
temperature of 91.4˚F. Body core temperature variations of only a few
degrees too high or low can cause serious thermal illness, possible permanent
injury, and even death.


Hyperthermia

In high temperatures with high humidity the body has difficulty losing heat. It
can sweat out up to two quarts of water per hour trying to do so. Prolonged
muscular exertion (which produces more heat) can raise the core temperature
resulting in hyperthermia. Symptoms are exhaustion, heat stroke, or cramps.

To prevent hyperthermia: Drink plenty of water (special drinks like Gatorade
also help replace body salts), dress in loose fitting, light colored hydrophobic
clothing with a wide brimmed hat for shade, and do not over-exert yourself. Make
sure to take rests in the shade.


Hypothermia

Below 60˚F air temperature or 70˚F water temperature, the unprotected
body loses heat quite rapidly. The colder the conditions, the less the body is
able to produce heat. When heat is lost faster than it can be replaced,
hypothermia occurs. This is a lowering of the body core temperature past the
point of recovery. Symptoms are loss of coordination, disorientation, stupor,
and violent shivering. Minor shivering is a pre-hypothermia condition.

To prevent hypothermia: Conserve body heat by wearing proper insulation and
layering for your activity level. Hats, gloves, and dry footwear are especially
important. Stay dry by controlling sweat build-up through layering wicking
fibers, venting your clothing, and wearing proper raingear. Heat loss through
evaporation and conduction to water is dramatic. Finally, prevent dehydration by
drinking lots of warm fluids. Do not drink alcohol or smoke as these activities
will hasten hypothermia.

Lord I ask for courage

Courage to face and
Conquer my own fears...

Courage to take me
Where others will not go...

I ask for strength

Strength of body to protect others
And strength of spirit to lead others...

I ask for dedication

Dedication to my job, to do it well
Dedication to my community
To keep it safe...

Give me Lord, concern
For others who trust me
And compassion for those who need me...

And please Lord

Through it all
Be at my side...

A Police Officers Prayer
Author Unknown

Dear CoCoRaHS members and friends

A special winter welcome to all the CoCoRaHS newcomers.  Many new
volunteers have signed up since Thanksgiving, especially from Maine and
Minnesota.  Welcome aboard!

It is cold tonight here in northern Colorado -- minus 5 Fahrenheit (-20
C) and falling.  This could be our coldest night of the winter.  The
snow today was less than expected.  That's OK.    I've already had
enough practice measuring -- 46" already in the past 2 months.  That's
the most we've ever had this early in the season in the 121 years that
we've been measuring at our official NWS Cooperative station here.  The
storm has moved out of Colorado and now many of you will get your first
chance to measure snow this winter.  I don't envy what some of you in
the upper Midwest will be waking up to.  Good luck with your
measurements.  Blizzards are tough to measure.

Winter has been arriving oddly this year.  There has already been snow
in Las Cruces, NM, Houston, TX and much of Louisiana.  Even Sacramento,
CA had some snow yesterday.  Now it's finally headed to the  more normal
snow hangouts --  Des Moines, Minneapolis, Muskegon, Sault Ste. Marie.

It was great to see the rains in southern CA and Arizona yesterday.  Our
new corps of volunteers in Arizona sprung into action with nearly 300
precipitation reports across the state.  As expected, the variations
from place to place were impressive.

Measuring snow and ice -- a quick review (well, not too quick)

As the snow has been flying, so have the questions about how to measure
it.  Many of you are doing this for the first time (thanks!!).  So it's
time for our annual "Snow Measurement Review".
The best thing to do first is take a look at the daily precipitation
entry form and make sure you know what each item means.  Once you have
that figured out, then you can confidently measure and report winter
precipitation.

Here are a few tips for each of the entries we make on the CoCoRaHS
"Daily Precipitation Report Form"

"Rain and Melted Snow"
That is the water content of the precipitation that has fallen in your
gauge -- rain, snow, freezing rain, sleet or any combination. You'll
need to remove the funnel and inner cylinder if frozen precipitation is
expected. Otherwise, the funnel clogs up and the snow spills out
(bummer)! Then, you will need to MELT the snow and ice that collected in
the gauge so you can pour that water and measure the content in the
inner cylinder (just like rain). A quick way is to add a measured amount
of warm water to melt the snow -- AND REMEMBER to subtract that amount
from the total to get the correct reading. Some people use their
microwave -- but I've seen a few melted gauges.  They're ugly.
Another way to measure is to WEIGH your rain gauge outer cylinder.
Weighing is much quicker and easier -- if you happen to have a good
kitchen or laboratory scales.   We describe that method in a message
sent last year
http://www.cocorahs.org/Media/docs/TheCatch_2008-12-30.pdf

There are situations where your gauge will not catch and accurately
measure the moisture from snow.  Wind driven snow (traveling nearly
horizontally) may deflect around and over your gauge and not land
inside.  If you feel that your gauge measurement is not accurate,
mention this in your observation notes.  Then take a core sample as
described below and use that value instead for your daily precipitation
amount.

"Observation Notes"
Measuring snow can be tough, but if you can describe briefly the weather
conditions you've observed it will help us interpret your data.   If
your snow observation is problematic, just describe it in your notes.
Here is an example from an observer in South Dakota last year: "/Bad
blizzard in progress. Emptied gauge at noon on Wednesday before
precipitation turned to snow, had 0.27" then. Got all our pickups stuck.
Power out and on generators. Snow depth an estimate only. Drifts are so
variable it's hard to know what is average."/ So while this observer may
not have made a precise measurement, we had a good idea of what was
going on.  Here's another from eastern Colorado /"This is one of the
only times we have had no wind, yet, and could get a really good
measurement."  *Your remarks are worth a lot.  Don't hold back.*/

"Depth of new snow in inches to the nearest tenth"
If possible, have a snow measurement surface planned ahead of time in an
area of your yard where the snow typically lands and stays reasonably
level.  Having a white board or white plastic surface (called a snow
measurement board) in a representative area makes it easier to measure
the accumulation of new snow to the nearest 0.1".  Mark the spot with a
flag or pole so you don't lose it when it snows.
The "Depth of new snow" is the amount of snow and/or ice pellets (sleet)
that fell and accumulated during the past 24 hours. Remember to report
the maximum accumulation of new snow that was observed prior to melting,
settling or redistribution by the wind.  That may require doing a quick
measurement during or immediately after the snow ends and not waiting
until the next morning. The snow might melt or settle overnight. But
wait until your scheduled observation time to report.  If all the snow
melts as it hits the ground and never accumulates, then report T  (for
"trace").   If it snowed but you did not have the chance to measure it,
then please type in NA (for "not available") and add appropriate
explanation in the "Observation notes" section.

"Melted value from core to the nearest hundredth"
This is a helpful but optional field. If you are concerned that the
amount of moisture in the gauge was too low due to wind or other factors
reducing your gauge catch, then collect a core sample of the new snow
from a representative location where the snow accumulated relatively
uniformly.  Melt (or weigh) the sample to measure the water content.  It
is fascinating to see that the moisture collected from the core
measurement can differ from what was in your gauge -- and sometimes by a
lot.

"Depth of total snow in inches to the nearest half inch"
The total depth of snow is how much is still on the ground at your
scheduled daily observation time. This can be new snow, old snow, or a
combination of both. For example, if there was an inch of old snow on
the ground yesterday, then it snowed 3" new, but that snow settled to
just 2" by your regular observation, then your total depth would be 3".
Keep in mind that your total depth will likely be different than your
New Snow unless new snow has just fallen on previously bare ground.  If
the snow depth is uneven (and it often is) then take an average of
several measurements, or find a measurement location that is
representative of the average snow depth in your area.  For example, if
your front yard and back yard are the same size, and the average depth
in your front yard is 2" but in the back yard is 6", then report 4" for
your total depth.
REMEMBER, our computer automatically enters NA for your total snow
depth. So if there is any snow on the ground be sure to type in the
amount to the nearest half inch (or whole inch if that's easier). If
there is some snow remaining on the ground, but more than half the
ground is bare, then type in T.

"Melted value from core to the nearest hundredth"
This last data entry field is optional but very useful, especially to
hydrologists and structural engineers. It is the water content of the
total snow (the sum of both the new and any remaining old snow) on the
ground. at your scheduled time of observation.  This is the amount of
water that would soak into the ground or run off into streams and rivers
if it were to melt. Take a core sample of the "total snow" in a
representative location, and either melt it or weigh it to obtain the
water content.

For more information about measuring snow?
For more thorough instructions and explanations go the CoCoRaHS website:
www.cocorahs.org and you will find a training video, a slide show and
written instructions to help you. If you need additional help, then
please contact your CoCoRaHS local coordinator and ask.  Please make use
of the CoCoRaHS website to view maps and reports of recent and past snow
events so that you can see all the great data that you and our other
volunteers are helping to collect. We can all learn a lot by examining
our data and comparing to others in our areas.


Some frequently asked questions about measuring snow.

Measuring snow is tricky, especially if it's melting or being blown
around by the wind.  Don't be frustrated, perfect measurements may be
impossible.  But use your head, check your data, and you'll do very
well.  Here are some common questions we get?

What do I report for my new snow amount when the snow has been melting
or settling?
If there is only 2" of new snow left when you do your 7 AM measurement,
but you know there was closer to 4" there yesterday before the melting
and settling began, then report 4.0" for your new snow amount.  For the
total depth of snow on ground, report what you measure at 7 AM  -- in
this case, 2.0" (assuming the ground had previously been bare)


What if I get freezing rain?  How do we measure that? Freezing rain is
precipitation that falls as rain but then immediately freezes on contact
with the ground and/or elevated surfaces.  The frozen moisture is called
"glaze".  Report freezing rain just like rain -- it is NOT SNOW.  But
you'll need to melt the ice to get an accurate reading.  Be very careful
on the ice.

It is very, very useful to report the thickness of the ice that
accumulates on branches or wires.  This is called "ice accretion" or
"coating".   An elevated aluminum strip could  be used for measuring
freezing rain accretion. Use your measuring stick to measure the
vertical depth of ice accretion on the surface of the aluminum strip. If
a metal strip is not available, other common metal surfaces can be used
such as metal mailboxes, metal fences, and metal railings. Measure the
vertical depth of accretion atop whichever horizontal surface(s) you
use.  Exposed tree branches will suffice, but remember to measure the
ice accretion, or vertical depth of the ice from the edge of the branch
outward. If one side of the branch has a greater thickness of ice than
another side, simply take an average. Once you have taken measurements
from five or so different surfaces, take an average of all of your
measurements, and report it in tenths of an inch.  Enter that amount in
the "Comments" section of your report since we don't yet have a separate
location to enter ice accretion.  This type of quantitative information
about ice buildup historically has not been measured at most weather
stations.  It is extremely useful data for a wide variety of applications.


What if we receive rain and snow on the same day?  Then what?
Mixed or changing precipitation types are common in some parts of the
country.  Report both the rain and the water content of snow that landed
in your gauge as your daily precipitation amount.   Then measure the
amount of new snow that accumulated (prior to melting) and report that
as your daily snowfall amount.  If you can, take a core sample of the
snow to get a water content of snow.  Then you can infer how much fell
as rain and how much fell as snow.


Wouldn't it be helpful to have more than one gauge for winter measurements?
Yes indeed.  I actually have four outer cylinders to make snow
measurement quicker and easier.  I keep extra ones indoors.  At 7 AM I
go out to retrieve my gauge and replace it with a clean, empty cylinder
so I don't have to go out again.  I also have two extra cylinders for
taking the core sample of fresh snow and the core sample of total snow
on the ground.  Then I bring them all in together and do all the
measurements at the same time.  Extra outer cylinders can be ordered
online from WeatherYourWay.com for a reasonable price.

I've heard that 10 inches of snow equals 1 inch of water.  Is that
always true?
A typical wet snow or snow with dense, small crystals will often have
between 0.80 and 1.00" of water for every 10 inches of new snow.  But
the "density" (water content) of snow can vary greatly.  It is possible
for very dry, fluffy snows to get as little as 0.10 to 0.30" of water
from 10" of new snow.  Also, in extremely wet snows, values as high as
1.50" to 2.00" of water from 10" of new snow is possible.  All you have
to do is walk or drive in the snow -- or shovel it -- and you'll
immediately have a good idea if the density is high, low or medium.
That's why we take separate measurements of the snowfall accumulation
and the water content, so we can compute and compare new snow
densities.  For old snow as it stays on the ground, it gets denser with
time as the snow crystals change shape and the air space between
crystals decreases.

Can I just measure the snowfall and not worry about the water content?
Some CoCoRaHS volunteers only measure the accumulation of new snow and
the total depth of snow on the ground.  We really appreciate also
knowing the water content, since it can be so variable.  If you do
report only the snow depth, then remember to type in "NA" ("for not
available") for the daily precipitation amount.  If you report snow but
you just leave the "Daily Precipitation" box blank (0.00") the computer
will give you an error and you won't be allowed to report.

Do I have to report if it didn't snow today?
Knowing that it didn't snow is important. Please report your zeros if
you can.
If no new snow fell but there is old snow still on the ground, should I
report that?
Yes.  Snowcover, even old snow, has a huge effect on the climate.
Whenever you have old snow on the ground, try to report the average
depth and the water content of that snow each day.  While it is
fascinating watching snow fall and accumulate, it is also very
interesting watching it settle, melt and disappear.

What if the wind is so strong that the snow is badly drifted?
Wind-drifted snow is very difficult to measure accurately.  Do your best
to come up with an average accumulation of new snow -- and then take a
core sample at a point with average accumulation to get a water
content.  Check the numbers to see if they appear reasonable  -- and
also mention your challenging plight in our "comments"

What if it's too cold, slippery and I just don't feel like going outside?
Well, that happens to the best of us, especially in these dark days of
midwinter.  The good news is that you're a volunteer.  If you don't feel
like it or if it's unsafe, don't do it.  But if you can take winter
measurements, I assure you they are appreciated.  Very few weather
stations are able to measure snow and ice, so your CoCoRaHS reports are
extremely useful.

Finally, don't forget to use the "Significant Weather Report" to send in
reports of snow, sleet or freezing rain that you think might be
significant to travelers, forecasters and anyone out and about in the
winter.

Animal update.
Winter is hard.  The chores take much longer.  Just getting dressed to
go outside is an ordeal.  But once I'm out, it's wonderful -- the crunch
of the cold snow this week has been almost deafening, and the cold fresh
snow has seemed whiter than usual.  It's also interesting watching the
animals and how they respond to the cold and snow.  Our Aussie is
whining a lot.  She wants to go out but her feet freeze up  -- a nasty
dilemma.  She'll just have to stay in the laundry room tonight.  Our
Great Pyrenees doesn't seem to mind the cold -- but he'll be staying in
the laundry room, too.  Can't believe how our chickens, geese and horses
stay warm in this weather, but they seem to manage.  The egg production
is down to only about one a day now, though.  We could turn on the
lights and heater, but that costs too much.  The horses run and kick a
lot more now than in milder weather.  That helps them stay warm, but it
makes doing chores a bit more exciting.  Cleaning the corral is quick --
can't find the manure.  As for the cats, they always find the warmest
places.  The barn cats -- normally indepedent --  huddle together
sharing their warmth.

Cold night -- stay warm.

Our temperature is now down to -10 F and I must call it a day.  Good
luck to all of you across the upper Midwest listening to howling winds
and swirling snows tonight.


     Sincerely,

Nolan
Colorado State University

P.S.  Our CoCoRaHS fund raising campaign is coming soon.  Stand by.
We're just waiting for final approval from the CSU Foundation.
Hopefully we can start next week.

The National Weather Service has opened up a TOLL FREE Hotline for reporting
Severe Weather. This Hotline is for the Public as well as Trained SKYWARN
Spotters.

YOU MUST READ THE ENTIRE POST PRIOR TO REPORTING.
The number is posted at the bottom of this notice.

The National Weather Service encourages everyone to report severe weather.

HOW TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER USING THIS SYSTEM

in order to use this system you must know your,

1: Latitude Longitude by Degrees and Minutes

2: Or Zip Code

If either of these two items are not available then you must leave a very
detailed voice message at the end as to your location

What State are you in,
What County are you in,
What City are you in or closest to,
What is the nearest cross street, highway or interstate,
What mile post,
What is a well known Landmark,
What direction is the storm or event from your location
Is it still occurring,
what direction is it moving I.E. North, South, East, or West.

Be as detailed, in your report and location as possible IDENTIFY YOUR SELF WITH
YOUR NAME PHONE NUMBER, ADDRESS AND CoCoRaHS Station Number
When Prompted to leave a Voice Message.

When Prompted to leave a Voice Message, Remain Calm. Make sure you are in a safe
location. The NWS would much rather not
receive a report if it puts your safety in jeopardy.
YOUR SAFETY COMES FIRST!!!

Be as descriptive as possible, include thickness of tree limbs, rainfall
amounts and any damage or weather occurrence you feel is important to report.

SEVERE WEATHER REPORTING GUIDE LINES FOR WASHINGTON STATE

WESTERN WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debris being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

TORNADO, WATERSPOUT, FUNNEL CLOUD, WALL CLOUD -

Location, time, and direction of movement. Is it still visible? Watch for
rotation in the cloud(s). Any damage?

HAIL - Pea-sized or larger. Any damage?

LIGHTNING - Frequent (4 or more per minute) cloud-to-ground lightning inforested
areas.

DAMAGING WINDS - Trees/power lines knocked down, damage to homes, etc. If you
have an anemometer, report any sustained winds over 35 MPH or gusts over 50 mph.
You Can also use the Beaufort Scale for an estimate. Note: sustained winds are a
one
minute average.

HEAVY RAIN - One-half (0.50) inch in one hour. Two inches or more in 24 hours or
less. Has it ended?

FLOODING - OF ANY KIND! Are waters rising or falling? Any damage, mud or rock
slides, and/or roads blocked?

SNOW - One inch accumulation or more in three hours. 4 inches in 12 hours or
less.

FREEZING PRECIPITATION - Any accumulation of sleet or freezing rain / drizzle.

POOR VISIBILITY - Reduced visibility adversely impacting transportation. Less
than one-half miles for DENSE FOG and BLOWING SNOW.
BLOWING DUST and VOLCANIC ASH. Less than 300 feet

SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

Wind: 50 mph or stronger
Hail: 3/4 inch (penny or dime size) or larger in diameter
Flooding: Any significant amount of water in normally dry areas
River Flooding: Any river rising above their normal bank level
Heavy Rain: Rain rates of 1 inch per hour or greater
And - Rain greater than 1 inch in 24 hours
Heavy Snow: Call while snowing at a rate of 1 inch per hour or greater
And - Call with total snow fall if >= 1 inch when the snow ends
Low Visibilities: Visibility less than 1/2 mile due to fog, dust, rain, or snow
Freezing Rain: Any freezing rain

EASTERN WASHINGTON REGION

FUNNEL CLOUD OR TORNADO
1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

HAIL
Pea-sized or larger

STRONG WINDS
30 mph+ or winds that produce any damage. Estimate using Beaufort chart.

HEAVY RAINFALL
0.50 inch in one hour - showery
1 inch in 12 hrs or 1.5 inches in 24 hrs – steady rain

FLOODING
Of any kind...including possible dam or levee failure. Watch for changing water
levels.

SNOW
2 inches or more – valleys
6 inches or more - mountains

MIXED PRECIPITATION
Any freezing rain or sleet

POOR VISIBILITY
One half mile or less in blowing dust or snow etc.

TRAVEL PROBLEMS DUE TO WEATHER
Conditions where poor or hazardous travel conditions observed or reported

ANY DAMAGE, INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE DUE TO WEATHER
Be sure to include location, time and specific cause

SOUTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado
Location, time and direction of movement.

Hail: Pea size or larger.

Lightning: Continuous lightning (more than 6 flashes per minute).

Heavy Rain: Half an inch or more per hour. Report heavy rain even if you are
outside a flood prone area.

Heavy Snow: Accumulations of four inches in 12 hours or one inch per hour.

Flooding: Of ANY kind, including dam or levee failure. Are waters rising or
falling?

Damaging Wind: Trees or power lines knocked down, damage to buildings, etc.
Report any wind of at least 40 mph using the Beaufort Scale.

Fog, Blowing Dust, Blowing Snow: Report initial onslaught of event when poor
visibility impacts travel.

Freezing Rain: Report initial onslaught of event when it impacts travel.
Mudslides: Any event causing damage or road closure.

NATIONAL SEVERE WEATHER REPORTING HOT LINE 877-633-6772

Rain gauge watchers, friends and family:

Greetings from Colorado where the weather has turned mild for the time
being, but we still have some crusty, icy snow from early last week. The
average depth of old snow on the ground is less than 4" now in my yard,
but it still has close to 0.80" of water content remaining -- a little
more than we started with -- hmmmm. If you live from westerm North
Carolina up to Delaware and maybe beyond, get your rulers ready. It's
your turn for snow.

Today we received the final approval from our university foundation to
launch our 2009 year-end CoCoRaHS fund raising effort. Sorry it took so
long. There are many hoops to leap through, but we made it. The
Foundation collects the donations, sends out the receipts and maintains
the secure website, so we're happy to work with them. They make our job
much easier -- and they promised me that would NOT put any of us on
their mailing lists.

Thousands of us are already donating time each week to check our gauges
and report our precipitation. That is incredible, an amazing
contribution and it's what makes CoCoRaHS work so well. But please read on.

Here is the "official letter" to kick off the "Five for CoCoRaHS" campaign

CoCoRaHS Team:

CoCoRaHS has recently reached a remarkable milestone; we now have
volunteers in all 50 states! With over 14,000 active participants, on
any given day, more than 8000 of us make the special effort to check our
rain gauge and record and report our data on the CoCoRaHS website. We
are able to track the rainfall, hail and snow patterns from coast to
coast. I can’t thank you enough for helping in this effort. Your
observations are supplementing the official weather station networks
across the U.S. in a huge way. This year, we became the largest single
source of reliable daily precipitation measurements in the country! Many
scientists and organizations now count on CoCoRaHS for accurate
precipitation tracking day in and day out, and without each and every
one of you, this would not be possible. Great job everyone!

Volunteer programs don’t just happen. They require leadership,
motivation, organization and infrastructure; and this comes at a cost.
We have three full time employees and two part timers who make CoCoRaHS
tick. Our hard-working staff is also helped by over 200 state and
regional coordinators who, in their spare time, help recruit, train and
support our volunteers at a state and local level. Without this group of
staff and leaders, CoCoRaHS as we know it could not survive.

Now that CoCoRaHS is available in every state, our priorities are
shifting. In addition to continuing to grow the network, providing
education and high quality data for the nation, we will work diligently
to support our staff and support a solid infrastructure for our
volunteers. Thanks to the recent “CoCoRaHS September Survey” we have a
list of over 1000 excellent suggestions on how to make CoCoRaHS better.
Creating a faster computer system, easier to read maps, better training
materials, more educational opportunities for volunteers and better ways
to compile and share our data will be our top priorities in the months
ahead.

We need your help! The grant from NOAA’s Office of Education that funded
our efforts for over three years is nearly complete. We must now seek
other ways to support the CoCoRAHS effort. Henry, our CoCoRaHS National
Coordinator, came up with our “Five for CoCoRaHS” idea as a way we can
all pull together in small ways to help CoCoRaHS keep growing. With a
donation of just $5 from you and each of our active members, we could
support a sizeable chunk of our annual budget. That would allow us to
begin moving forward on our list of essential improvements. Times are
tough and we realize not everyone has an extra $5. But if you can spare
at least $5, it will make a real difference.

Your support also sends a strong message to the businesses, researchers,
and other organizations that are currently using our data each day. As
they are benefiting from our efforts, they also should help cover our
costs with donations too. We will still continue to pursue other funding
opportunities and are hopeful that CoCoRaHS will become a sustainable
network that will succeed long into the future. If you know of other
individuals or organizations that appreciate what we are doing, please
encourage them to help, too.

Thanks so much. To make a donation to CoCoRaHS please click on the “Five
for CoCoRaHS” logo at the top of the CoCoRaHS web page
(www.cocorahs.org) and send in your gift today. Or click right here

http://www.cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=donate5

Sincerely and with appreciation,

Nolan Doesken
Colorado State Climatologist
CoCoRaHS National Director

P.S. Fund raising is not my expertise. It doesn't come easy. But I am
thrilled with what CoCoRaHS has become and I want us to succeed. If by
some stroke of luck you happen to know someone with an extra $5 - 10
million that they want to put to very good use, that could fund CoCoRaHS
indefinitely. Then could focus on what we're good at. .. .. .. Just a
thought :-) It never hurts to ask.

CoCoRaHS OBSERVER
TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT


Date: Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Time: 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management

CoCoRaHS of Snohomish County in cooperation with
Snohomish County Office of Emergency Management,

Will be providing comprehensive CoCoRaHS Observer training to new and veteran
Observers, including citizens, and those affiliated with emergency management.
Spotters are needed throughout all of Snohomish County.
If you are interested in attending this training please contact,
Sean Kiaer at snocounty.cocorahs@... to reserve your spot

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE SNOHOMISH COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
REGARDING THIS TRAINING SESSION. ALL INQUIRIES ARE TO BE DIRECTED TO SNOHOMISH
COUNTY COCORAHS

A NOAA Weather Radio (Midland WR-100 with SAME Technology) will be given away as
a Door Prize (Donated by Everett Mall Best Buy)

CoCoRaHS OBSERVER
TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT


Date: Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Time: 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management

CoCoRaHS of Snohomish County in cooperation with
Snohomish County Office of Emergency Management,

Will be providing comprehensive CoCoRaHS Observer training to new and veteran
Observers, including citizens, and those affiliated with emergency management.
Observers are needed throughout all of Snohomish County.
If you are interested in attending this training please contact Sean Kiaer at
snocounty.cocorahs@... to reserve your spot

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE SNOHOMISH COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
REGARDING THIS TRAINING SESSION. ALL INQUIREIES ARE TO BE DIRECTED TO SNOHOMISH
COUNTY COCORAHS

DOOR PRIZE to be given away

A NOAA Weather Radio (Midland WR-100 with SAME Technology) will be given away as
a Door Prize (Donated by Everett Mall Best Buy)

The National Weather Service has opened up a TOLL FREE Hotline for reporting
Severe Weather. This Hotline is for the Public as well as Trained SKYWARN
Spotters.

YOU MUST READ THE ENTIRE POST PRIOR TO REPORTING.
The number is posted at the bottom of this notice.

The National Weather Service encourages everyone to report severe weather.

HOW TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER USING THIS SYSTEM

in order to use this system you must know your,

1: Latitude Longitude by Degrees and Minutes

2: Or Zip Code

If either of these two items are not available then you must leave a very
detailed voice message at the end as to your location

What State are you in,
What County are you in,
What City are you in or closest to,
What is the nearest cross street, highway or interstate,
What mile post,
What is a well known Landmark,
What direction is the storm or event from your location
Is it still occurring,
what direction is it moving I.E. North, South, East, or West.

Be as detailed, in your report and location as possible IDENTIFY YOUR SELF WITH
YOUR NAME PHONE NUMBER, ADDRESS AND CoCoRaHS Station Number
When Prompted to leave a Voice Message.

When Prompted to leave a Voice Message, Remain Calm. Make sure you are in a safe
location. The NWS would much rather not
receive a report if it puts your safety in jeopardy.
YOUR SAFETY COMES FIRST!!!

Be as descriptive as possible, include thickness of tree limbs, rainfall
amounts and any damage or weather occurrence you feel is important to report.

SEVERE WEATHER REPORTING GUIDE LINES FOR WASHINGTON STATE

WESTERN WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debris being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

TORNADO, WATERSPOUT, FUNNEL CLOUD, WALL CLOUD -

Location, time, and direction of movement. Is it still visible? Watch for
rotation in the cloud(s). Any damage?

HAIL - Pea-sized or larger. Any damage?

LIGHTNING - Frequent (4 or more per minute) cloud-to-ground lightning inforested
areas.

DAMAGING WINDS - Trees/power lines knocked down, damage to homes, etc. If you
have an anemometer, report any sustained winds over 35 MPH or gusts over 50 mph.
You Can also use the Beaufort Scale for an estimate. Note: sustained winds are a
one
minute average.

HEAVY RAIN - One-half (0.50) inch in one hour. Two inches or more in 24 hours or
less. Has it ended?

FLOODING - OF ANY KIND! Are waters rising or falling? Any damage, mud or rock
slides, and/or roads blocked?

SNOW - One inch accumulation or more in three hours. 4 inches in 12 hours or
less.

FREEZING PRECIPITATION - Any accumulation of sleet or freezing rain / drizzle.

POOR VISIBILITY - Reduced visibility adversely impacting transportation. Less
than one-half miles for DENSE FOG and BLOWING SNOW.
BLOWING DUST and VOLCANIC ASH. Less than 300 feet

SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

Wind: 50 mph or stronger
Hail: 3/4 inch (penny or dime size) or larger in diameter
Flooding: Any significant amount of water in normally dry areas
River Flooding: Any river rising above their normal bank level
Heavy Rain: Rain rates of 1 inch per hour or greater
And - Rain greater than 1 inch in 24 hours
Heavy Snow: Call while snowing at a rate of 1 inch per hour or greater
And - Call with total snow fall if >= 1 inch when the snow ends
Low Visibilities: Visibility less than 1/2 mile due to fog, dust, rain, or snow
Freezing Rain: Any freezing rain

EASTERN WASHINGTON REGION

FUNNEL CLOUD OR TORNADO
1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

HAIL
Pea-sized or larger

STRONG WINDS
30 mph+ or winds that produce any damage. Estimate using Beaufort chart.

HEAVY RAINFALL
0.50 inch in one hour - showery
1 inch in 12 hrs or 1.5 inches in 24 hrs – steady rain

FLOODING
Of any kind...including possible dam or levee failure. Watch for changing water
levels.

SNOW
2 inches or more – valleys
6 inches or more - mountains

MIXED PRECIPITATION
Any freezing rain or sleet

POOR VISIBILITY
One half mile or less in blowing dust or snow etc.

TRAVEL PROBLEMS DUE TO WEATHER
Conditions where poor or hazardous travel conditions observed or reported

ANY DAMAGE, INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE DUE TO WEATHER
Be sure to include location, time and specific cause

SOUTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado
Location, time and direction of movement.

Hail: Pea size or larger.

Lightning: Continuous lightning (more than 6 flashes per minute).

Heavy Rain: Half an inch or more per hour. Report heavy rain even if you are
outside a flood prone area.

Heavy Snow: Accumulations of four inches in 12 hours or one inch per hour.

Flooding: Of ANY kind, including dam or levee failure. Are waters rising or
falling?

Damaging Wind: Trees or power lines knocked down, damage to buildings, etc.
Report any wind of at least 40 mph using the Beaufort Scale.

Fog, Blowing Dust, Blowing Snow: Report initial onslaught of event when poor
visibility impacts travel.

Freezing Rain: Report initial onslaught of event when it impacts travel.
Mudslides: Any event causing damage or road closure.

NATIONAL SEVERE WEATHER REPORTING HOT LINE 877-633-6772

Dear CoCoRaisins -- Rain Gauge Readers -- friends and  family

2010 -- Really?

It is nearly a new calendar year and a new decade.  Ten years ago
CoCoRaHS was just getting started here in Colorado and we were fretting
Y2K and wondering if anything bad would really happen at midnight as the
calendar switched from 1999 to 2000.  Ten years later\ CoCoRaHS has
reached to all 50 states, and our frets are now focused on local and
global economy, health care, energy, how much e-mail we're getting, how
it feels to be 10 years older, and how hard it can be to get up and read
the rain gauge on these cold, dark and sometimes windy mornings.

Five for CoCoRaHS  -- Update on our fund raising effort.

As we finish the second week of our six week "Five for CoCoRaHS" giving
campaign (which goes through the end of January 2010) we want to say a
big "Thank You" to all of you who have already donated a few dollars to
help keep CoCoRaHS going..  We are off to a good start and are very
encouraged..  For those who haven't yet made a donation, but would like
to take advantage of a possible tax deduction for the 2009 calendar
year, we encourage you to make your on-line gift or mail in your check
by midnight on December 31st .  Donations made after this date will fall
into the 2010 tax calendar year.   We really appreciate your support!
For more info, please click on:
http://www.cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=donate5

Surprise, surprise  -- that $10 million endowment that I dreamed about
that could support CoCoRaHS indefinitely has not yet come to pass  --
but I'll keep dreaming  :-).  You just never know.


Survived the yurt!

It was cold -- really, really cold.  It never got above -10C (+14F) and
temperatures were well below zero F much of the time..  Sometimes the
wind blew making it brutally cold.  Most of the time it snowed.  It
wasn't easy fitting seven people into one small yurt.  But now that
we're home safe and sound, I can say that our family journey to the
North Fork Canadian yurt near Gould in Jackson County, Colorado for
Christmas 2009 was a blast and a rich family time.  I was worried at
first seeing the forecast for potential blizzard conditions and
temperatures well below zero.  But when all was said and done, we
dressed well, avoided mistakes, the wood stove and firewood did their
jobs, and our food supplies were excellent.   Our daughter was kind
enough to pick a yurt that was an easy ski in.  Also, the younger
generation was kind to my wife and I, and they packed the heaviest loads
in their backpacks.   I'm not sure I would want to do this every year at
Christmas, but  we're  glad we did it once.  I didn't miss my laptop one
bit.

Instead of dealing with e-mail, there was lots of time to stoke the wood
stove, eat, ski, play games, and watch and examine snow crystals..  3
out of the 4 days we were there we got to watch millions of tiny little
single ice crystals dropping from the sky -- almost too small to see
without a magnifying glass.  But  they piled up almost like sand and
made a solid base for cross country skiing.  I didn't bring my rain
gauge with me, but I'm guessing that each inch of snow contained between
0.10 and 0.13" of water making this subzero Fahrenheit snow denser than
most snows that fall at much warmer temperatures.  But it made it easy
to gather buckets of snow to melt on the fire for our water supply.

Stormy weather

While we dealt with the elements in our comfortable yurt, many of you
dealt with even wilder weather.  Blizzard conditions from north Texas up
to southern Canada, and flooding rains and high winds from Arkansas to
the Atlantic Ocean (all caused by one huge swirling low pressure area)
made for a very interesting Christmas holiday for millions.


Sunrise- sunset.

This is the time of year that I am most keenly aware of sunrise as it
comes way too late, and sunset because it comes way too early.  This is
also the one time of year that I notice the asymmetrical nature of the
daily cycle..  For example, since I walk or bicycle home from work each
day, I'm noticing that there is already  more daylight at the end of the
day than there was two or three weeks ago.  The morning is a different
story, though.  Even though we're more than a week past the winter
solstice, the sunrise has continued to advance later.  It will be two
weeks before it finally turns the corner and begins rising earlier in
the morning.  By the end of January, most of us will be getting another
two minutes of daylength each day (less in Hawaii and the far south, and
more up  in Alaska and other northern areas..

Why does this happen?  It has to do with the shape of the earth, the
tilt of the earth's axis and the irregularities of our orbit around the
sun.  If you're interested in sunrise/sunset times,  and how they change
for anywhere in the country, I suggest you pay a visit to the U.S. Naval
Observatory website.

http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications

They also specialize in such obscure but critically important
information such as twilight -- the amount of light visible before
sunrise and after sunset.


Sincerely and Happy New Year

Nolan Doesken
Colorado State University

P.S.  And thanks, again, to those of you who have made donations during
the past two week to CoCoRaHS through the Colorado State University
Foundation and to those of you who provided suggestions and contacts for
other organizations who might help us in the future.  Small
contributions from a large number of motivated CoCoRaHS volunteers
really can make a huge difference.

P.P.S.  If any of you are coming to Denver for the National Western
Stock Show this year, I'll be giving a talk on Stock Show weather and
long term trends in Colorado climate. That will be on January 12th.
Maybe I'll see a few  CoCoRaHS folks there.

Good morning.

First, a big welcome to all of you who have joined CoCoRaHS in the past
few weeks to help measure and report rain, sleet, hail and snow.  Things
are a little slow this time of year, and not too many people are signing
up, but we are still seeing about 10 new CoCoRaHS applications each day
from across the country.  We're sure glad to have you. Welcome to the
team.  If you have questions about getting started, please ask.


Deep Winter

Looking at our thermometer this morning here in northern Colorado, it's
a nippy -14F (-25 C) and still dropping.  It's both beautiful and
dreadful when it gets this cold.  Our horses, chickens and geese are
still doing well but it must wear on them.  Our heated stock tank has
been leaking so we have a small glacier out in the corral.  Sanding the
corral to keep the horses upright seems a bit odd.  Each of our horses
has a beard of white frost.  We're lucky to get one fresh egg a day and
we need to collect the eggs quickly before they freeze.  But I'm toasty.
I got a lovely new pair of insulated coveralls for Christmas.  If they
wear as well as my old ones, I should be good now for another 25 years.

We're not the only ones that are cold.  The Dakotas are crazy cold.
It's been subfreezing in the Ohio Valley for many straight days.  Those
of you down by the Gulf Coast are probably the coldest of all since
you're not used to 18 degree F weather.  This is the time of year for
this, though.  The weeks just following the winter solstice are often
the coldest of the year, so we're on schedule.  We can also be assured
that brighter warmer days are soon ahead   -- and then come the storms
of spring.  Hang on!  The cycle continues.


Snow on snow

I almost feel sorry for all of you in the Midwest, the northern plains,
the Great Lakes and New England.  I know it's a normal part of life --
cold, snow and wind -- and it's a fine combination that makes you
strong, healthy and full of good stories to tell.  But still . . . .
The snow just hasn't had any chance to melt, and new snows have been
accumulating on the old.   Then the wind comes and rearranges it all.
This is the weather observer's nightmare.  But still hundreds of you go
out each morning  -- in the dark -- to try to measure the stuff.  Hats
off to you!!!  (Actually, you better keep your hat on).  The snow is
more than a foot deep now in many places.  Most of South Dakota and Iowa
have deep snow with over 20" in several parts of Iowa.  There is still
some snow left from the Oklahoma blizzard, and western North Carolina
still has snow left from the big mid December storm.  Ours here in Fort
Collins is only about 6" deep on the level, but with 1.00" of water
content (Snow Water Equivalent) it won't be melting any time soon.

Do remember to report your average depth of total snow on the ground
each day, even if there has not been new snowfall.  Tracking national
snowcover patterns is very helpful for weather forecasting and climate
monitoring and prediction.  When the snow is very uneven, an estimated
average may be the best you can do.


Fund Raising Update -- Five for CoCoRaHS!

I am pleased -- no, I think "thrilled" would be a better word" --  to
report that since our "Five for CoCoRaHS" campaign was launched December
18,  over 1000 CoCoRaHS volunteers have sent in donations.  Some of your
employees have even sent in matching gifts.  Over $20,000 has been
collected to help maintain and grow CoCoRaHS in 2010.  This is a huge
help to the project as we start a new year, and should help us leverage
support from other larger organizations that use, appreciate and rely on
the fantastic weather data you are helping gather each day.   Nearly 10%
of our active CoCoRaHS participants have helped out financially in the
past 3 weeks.  Considering that most of the donations were $5, this is
indeed an impressive showing of support and demonstrates again how a
team effort can have a huge impact.

There are still three weeks left in the campaign.  If you were thinking
about sending in a donation to support CoCoRaHS, there is still time and
it's very easy.    Just go to
http://www.cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=donate5   and click the
appropriate button at the bottom of the page.  If you would like to give
a little more and get a CoCoRaHS t-shirt or sweatshirt, you'll see those
options are also available.  If you would prefer to mail in a check, the
information you need is at the bottom of the donation form.

And if you don't or can't help in this way, that's fine.  You are
already sharing some of your own personal time to help measure and
report precipitation across the country.  Your gift of time is the
greatest gift of all.

I'll let you know if we reach $30,000.


9000 reports

Speaking of reaching goals, remember when we were shooting for 9000
daily reports back in September?  I was recently looking back at the
"Rainy Days" report and discovered that when all the late reports came
in this fall, we eventually did reach 9000.  On September 22  we
received 9012 daily precipitation reports and on September 23rd we had
9003.  We did it -- a new CoCoRaHS record!  Thanks!

We'll wait for winter to pass, but some time this spring or early
summer, let's try for 10,000.  That will be a real milestone.


National Western Stock Show

Our presentation on the weather and climate of Colorado is scheduled for
Tuesday, January 12th at 3 PM at the Beef Palace Auction Arena located
on the lower level of the Hall of Education, near the NW Club entrance
in Denver, Colorado.  Perhaps I'll see a few of you there.


WeatherFest  -- Atlanta

The American Meteorological Society's Annual Meeting brings together
thousands of weather professionals from across the country and around
the world.  This year, the AMS 90th annual meeting is in Atlanta, GA
starting in just over a week.  The conference kicks off on Sunday,
January 17th at the Georgia World Congress Center with WeatherFest 2010
-- an educational event for anyone (kids and adults) interested in
weather stuff.  Here is the link to the specific details.  It runs from
noon to 4 PM..

http://www.ametsoc.org/MEET/ANNUAL/weatherfest.html

CoCoRaHS will be there!!   Thanks to a generous donation from HDR (a
nationwide engineering and consulting firm          http://hdrinc.com/)
we will have a "squeeze the water out of the cloud" display and
competition to see who can collect the most rain in a CoCoRaHS rain
gauge.  It should be a lot of fun.  If you or people you know will be in
or near Atlanta on Sunday, January 17th, please come by and see us!


Another Goodbye

Last week I got the word that one of our dedicated observers from the
Texas panhandle died suddenly from a heart attack a few days after
Christmas.  Dang it, I'm so sorry.  He wrote us letters of encouragement
as often as he could the last several years and provided great comments
on severe weather, Texas drought, and on animal and human behavior.
We're a little poorer today with his passing.

This has become a natural part of CoCoRaHS that we somehow never planned
or prepared for when we started the project.   --  losing good friends
and fellow weather enthusiasts.  But with our community of over 10,000
volunteers, many of whom are 65 or older,  the actuarial charts tell us
this will happen.  While it stings, I still appreciate hearing back, so
if you know of fellow volunteers who are ailing or have passed on, do
let me know.


Sunrise

It's now 6:40 AM and it's still dark. But looking at the sunrise -
sunset calendar it looks like starting tomorrow the morning light will
be coming earlier.  Hurray!


Talk to you soon again, and thanks for being a part of CoCoRaHS.
Remember, if your e-mail address has or will be changing, please let us
know so we can update our database.  If you don't want to receive these
messages, let me know and we'll make sure we remove you from the list.

Nolan Doesken
CoCoRaHS
Colorado State University

The National Weather Service has opened up a TOLL FREE Hotline for reporting
Severe Weather. This Hotline is for the Public as well as Trained SKYWARN
Spotters.

YOU MUST READ THE ENTIRE POST PRIOR TO REPORTING.
The number is posted at the bottom of this notice.

The National Weather Service encourages everyone to report severe weather.

HOW TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER USING THIS SYSTEM

in order to use this system you must know your,

1: Latitude Longitude by Degrees and Minutes

2: Or Zip Code

If either of these two items are not available then you must leave a very
detailed voice message at the end as to your location

What State are you in,
What County are you in,
What City are you in or closest to,
What is the nearest cross street, highway or interstate,
What mile post,
What is a well known Landmark,
What direction is the storm or event from your location
Is it still occurring,
what direction is it moving I.E. North, South, East, or West.

Be as detailed, in your report and location as possible IDENTIFY YOUR SELF WITH
YOUR NAME PHONE NUMBER, ADDRESS AND CoCoRaHS Station Number
When Prompted to leave a Voice Message.

When Prompted to leave a Voice Message, Remain Calm. Make sure you are in a safe
location. The NWS would much rather not
receive a report if it puts your safety in jeopardy.
YOUR SAFETY COMES FIRST!!!

Be as descriptive as possible, include thickness of tree limbs, rainfall
amounts and any damage or weather occurrence you feel is important to report.

SEVERE WEATHER REPORTING GUIDE LINES FOR WASHINGTON STATE

WESTERN WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debris being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

TORNADO, WATERSPOUT, FUNNEL CLOUD, WALL CLOUD -

Location, time, and direction of movement. Is it still visible? Watch for
rotation in the cloud(s). Any damage?

HAIL - Pea-sized or larger. Any damage?

LIGHTNING - Frequent (4 or more per minute) cloud-to-ground lightning inforested
areas.

DAMAGING WINDS - Trees/power lines knocked down, damage to homes, etc. If you
have an anemometer, report any sustained winds over 35 MPH or gusts over 50 mph.
You Can also use the Beaufort Scale for an estimate. Note: sustained winds are a
one
minute average.

HEAVY RAIN - One-half (0.50) inch in one hour. Two inches or more in 24 hours or
less. Has it ended?

FLOODING - OF ANY KIND! Are waters rising or falling? Any damage, mud or rock
slides, and/or roads blocked?

SNOW - One inch accumulation or more in three hours. 4 inches in 12 hours or
less.

FREEZING PRECIPITATION - Any accumulation of sleet or freezing rain / drizzle.

POOR VISIBILITY - Reduced visibility adversely impacting transportation. Less
than one-half miles for DENSE FOG and BLOWING SNOW.
BLOWING DUST and VOLCANIC ASH. Less than 300 feet

SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

Wind: 50 mph or stronger
Hail: 3/4 inch (penny or dime size) or larger in diameter
Flooding: Any significant amount of water in normally dry areas
River Flooding: Any river rising above their normal bank level
Heavy Rain: Rain rates of 1 inch per hour or greater
And - Rain greater than 1 inch in 24 hours
Heavy Snow: Call while snowing at a rate of 1 inch per hour or greater
And - Call with total snow fall if >= 1 inch when the snow ends
Low Visibilities: Visibility less than 1/2 mile due to fog, dust, rain, or snow
Freezing Rain: Any freezing rain

EASTERN WASHINGTON REGION

FUNNEL CLOUD OR TORNADO
1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

HAIL
Pea-sized or larger

STRONG WINDS
30 mph+ or winds that produce any damage. Estimate using Beaufort chart.

HEAVY RAINFALL
0.50 inch in one hour - showery
1 inch in 12 hrs or 1.5 inches in 24 hrs – steady rain

FLOODING
Of any kind...including possible dam or levee failure. Watch for changing water
levels.

SNOW
2 inches or more – valleys
6 inches or more - mountains

MIXED PRECIPITATION
Any freezing rain or sleet

POOR VISIBILITY
One half mile or less in blowing dust or snow etc.

TRAVEL PROBLEMS DUE TO WEATHER
Conditions where poor or hazardous travel conditions observed or reported

ANY DAMAGE, INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE DUE TO WEATHER
Be sure to include location, time and specific cause

SOUTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado
Location, time and direction of movement.

Hail: Pea size or larger.

Lightning: Continuous lightning (more than 6 flashes per minute).

Heavy Rain: Half an inch or more per hour. Report heavy rain even if you are
outside a flood prone area.

Heavy Snow: Accumulations of four inches in 12 hours or one inch per hour.

Flooding: Of ANY kind, including dam or levee failure. Are waters rising or
falling?

Damaging Wind: Trees or power lines knocked down, damage to buildings, etc.
Report any wind of at least 40 mph using the Beaufort Scale.

Fog, Blowing Dust, Blowing Snow: Report initial onslaught of event when poor
visibility impacts travel.

Freezing Rain: Report initial onslaught of event when it impacts travel.
Mudslides: Any event causing damage or road closure.

NATIONAL SEVERE WEATHER REPORTING HOT LINE 877-633-6772

CoCoRaHS OBSERVER
TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT


Date: Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Time: 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management

CoCoRaHS of Snohomish County in cooperation with
Snohomish County Office of Emergency Management,

Will be providing comprehensive CoCoRaHS Observer training to new and veteran
Observers, including citizens, and those affiliated with emergency management.
Observers are needed throughout all of Snohomish County.
If you are interested in attending this training please contact Sean Kiaer at
snocounty.cocorahs@... to reserve your spot

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE SNOHOMISH COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
REGARDING THIS TRAINING SESSION. ALL INQUIREIES ARE TO BE DIRECTED TO SNOHOMISH
COUNTY COCORAHS

DOOR PRIZE to be given away

A NOAA Weather Radio (Midland WR-100 with SAME Technology) will be given away as
a Door Prize (Donated by Everett Mall Best Buy)

CoCoRaHS OBSERVER
TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT


Date: Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Time: 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management

CoCoRaHS of Snohomish County in cooperation with
Snohomish County Office of Emergency Management,

Will be providing comprehensive CoCoRaHS Observer training to new and veteran
Observers, including citizens, and those affiliated with emergency management.
Observers are needed throughout all of Snohomish County.
If you are interested in attending this training please contact Sean Kiaer at
snocounty.cocorahs@... to reserve your spot

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE SNOHOMISH COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
REGARDING THIS TRAINING SESSION. ALL INQUIREIES ARE TO BE DIRECTED TO SNOHOMISH
COUNTY COCORAHS

DOOR PRIZE to be given away

A NOAA Weather Radio (Midland WR-100 with SAME Technology) will be given away as
a Door Prize (Donated by Everett Mall Best Buy)

The National Weather Service has opened up a TOLL FREE Hotline for reporting
Severe Weather. This Hotline is for the Public as well as Trained SKYWARN
Spotters.

YOU MUST READ THE ENTIRE POST PRIOR TO REPORTING.
The number is posted at the bottom of this notice.

The National Weather Service encourages everyone to report severe weather.

HOW TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER USING THIS SYSTEM

in order to use this system you must know your,

1: Latitude Longitude by Degrees and Minutes

2: Or Zip Code

If either of these two items are not available then you must leave a very
detailed voice message at the end as to your location

What State are you in,
What County are you in,
What City are you in or closest to,
What is the nearest cross street, highway or interstate,
What mile post,
What is a well known Landmark,
What direction is the storm or event from your location
Is it still occurring,
what direction is it moving I.E. North, South, East, or West.

Be as detailed, in your report and location as possible IDENTIFY YOUR SELF WITH
YOUR NAME PHONE NUMBER, ADDRESS AND CoCoRaHS Station Number
When Prompted to leave a Voice Message.

When Prompted to leave a Voice Message, Remain Calm. Make sure you are in a safe
location. The NWS would much rather not
receive a report if it puts your safety in jeopardy.
YOUR SAFETY COMES FIRST!!!

Be as descriptive as possible, include thickness of tree limbs, rainfall
amounts and any damage or weather occurrence you feel is important to report.

SEVERE WEATHER REPORTING GUIDE LINES FOR WASHINGTON STATE

WESTERN WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debris being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

TORNADO, WATERSPOUT, FUNNEL CLOUD, WALL CLOUD -

Location, time, and direction of movement. Is it still visible? Watch for
rotation in the cloud(s). Any damage?

HAIL - Pea-sized or larger. Any damage?

LIGHTNING - Frequent (4 or more per minute) cloud-to-ground lightning inforested
areas.

DAMAGING WINDS - Trees/power lines knocked down, damage to homes, etc. If you
have an anemometer, report any sustained winds over 35 MPH or gusts over 50 mph.
You Can also use the Beaufort Scale for an estimate. Note: sustained winds are a
one
minute average.

HEAVY RAIN - One-half (0.50) inch in one hour. Two inches or more in 24 hours or
less. Has it ended?

FLOODING - OF ANY KIND! Are waters rising or falling? Any damage, mud or rock
slides, and/or roads blocked?

SNOW - One inch accumulation or more in three hours. 4 inches in 12 hours or
less.

FREEZING PRECIPITATION - Any accumulation of sleet or freezing rain / drizzle.

POOR VISIBILITY - Reduced visibility adversely impacting transportation. Less
than one-half miles for DENSE FOG and BLOWING SNOW.
BLOWING DUST and VOLCANIC ASH. Less than 300 feet

SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

Wind: 50 mph or stronger
Hail: 3/4 inch (penny or dime size) or larger in diameter
Flooding: Any significant amount of water in normally dry areas
River Flooding: Any river rising above their normal bank level
Heavy Rain: Rain rates of 1 inch per hour or greater
And - Rain greater than 1 inch in 24 hours
Heavy Snow: Call while snowing at a rate of 1 inch per hour or greater
And - Call with total snow fall if >= 1 inch when the snow ends
Low Visibilities: Visibility less than 1/2 mile due to fog, dust, rain, or snow
Freezing Rain: Any freezing rain

EASTERN WASHINGTON REGION

FUNNEL CLOUD OR TORNADO
1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

HAIL
Pea-sized or larger

STRONG WINDS
30 mph+ or winds that produce any damage. Estimate using Beaufort chart.

HEAVY RAINFALL
0.50 inch in one hour - showery
1 inch in 12 hrs or 1.5 inches in 24 hrs – steady rain

FLOODING
Of any kind...including possible dam or levee failure. Watch for changing water
levels.

SNOW
2 inches or more – valleys
6 inches or more - mountains

MIXED PRECIPITATION
Any freezing rain or sleet

POOR VISIBILITY
One half mile or less in blowing dust or snow etc.

TRAVEL PROBLEMS DUE TO WEATHER
Conditions where poor or hazardous travel conditions observed or reported

ANY DAMAGE, INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE DUE TO WEATHER
Be sure to include location, time and specific cause

SOUTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado
Location, time and direction of movement.

Hail: Pea size or larger.

Lightning: Continuous lightning (more than 6 flashes per minute).

Heavy Rain: Half an inch or more per hour. Report heavy rain even if you are
outside a flood prone area.

Heavy Snow: Accumulations of four inches in 12 hours or one inch per hour.

Flooding: Of ANY kind, including dam or levee failure. Are waters rising or
falling?

Damaging Wind: Trees or power lines knocked down, damage to buildings, etc.
Report any wind of at least 40 mph using the Beaufort Scale.

Fog, Blowing Dust, Blowing Snow: Report initial onslaught of event when poor
visibility impacts travel.

Freezing Rain: Report initial onslaught of event when it impacts travel.
Mudslides: Any event causing damage or road closure.

NATIONAL SEVERE WEATHER REPORTING HOT LINE 877-633-6772

Good evening CoCoRaHS rain gaugers

Welcome to all of you who have recently joined the CoCoRaHS team
(Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network)  Each new
volunteer with your backyard rain gauge represents a new and valued data
point on the U.S. maps.
http://www.cocorahs.org/Maps/ViewMap.aspx?state=usa
Thanks for helping out as we work together to measure and track
precipitation from coast to coast.


CoCoRaHS fund raising update

There are just 6 days left in our "Five for CoCoRaHS" campaign.  Our
goal to raise $30,000 had seemed like a wild stretch and I thought we'd
never get there.  But it now looks like we might actually make it.
Nearly 1400 of us have already sent in donations totally over $27,000.
There is still time to help.

In this last week of the campaign, we need 400 more $5 donations.  That
will bring us very close to $30,000.  I realize that you already donate
your time, and that's what matters most.  But if you could spare just a
few dollars for a good cause, we would appreciate it greatly.

Here is the link to donate online.
http://www.cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=donate5

You will also find instructions there on how to send in donations by
mail.   The funds are received by the Colorado State University
Foundation and 100% of the proceeds (not counting the cost of the
t-shirts and sweatshirts that some of you will receive) are given to
CoCoRaHS.  These funds are going to pay for the costs of maintaining our
computer, server and database expenses while also providing some salary
support for our staff.  Thanks so much for helping!!


A Splash in Atlanta

We had an absolute blast at the Atlanta Convention Center for the
American Meteorological Society's annual WeatherFest on January 17th..
Several hundred children and a few dozen adults competed in the first
ever CoCoRaHS "Squeeze the rain out of the cloud" contest vying to see
who could get the most water out of their sponges and into a CoCoRaHS
rain gauge in 10 seconds..  We were assisted by CoCoRaHS volunteer
leaders from FL, GA, IL, TX, AZ, CO, NJ, KY and probably somewhere else
that I'm forgetting  -- all there attending the 90th annual meeting of
the American Meteorological Society.  The winners managed to squeeze
more than 4" of rain into the gauge.  In the process, we got a little
wet and we also got to meet several of our loyal Georgia volunteers from
the Atlanta area.  We also signed up some new weather enthusiasts who
found out about CoCoRaHS for the first time.  Again, let me thank HDR
http://www.hdrinc.com/   for sponsoring CoCoRaHS at the 2010 AMS
Weatherfest.

CoCoRaHS was also mentioned in several of the scientific presentations
given last week at the convention.  While we may be "low tech" the fact
is that good, reliable precipitation measurements are in high demand.
For those of you who have asked "Does anyone ever look at our data?"
please know that the answer is a resounding YES!  CoCoRaHS precipitation
data are being used every day of the year in a variety of research and
weather forecasting  and hydrologic applications.  The longer we keep
collecting data, the more research and climatological applications are
emerging.  I'll elaborate on this when we have more time and give
specific examples.  You may be surprised at just how important our rain
and snow measurements really are.


Hurray for CA, NV and  AZ

After months of little or nothing to report, our CA,  AZ and southern NV
CoCoRaHS volunteers were put to a test this past week and passed with
flying colors.  Nearly 400 Californians and over 300 Arizonians measured
and reported the heavy rains.  Totals for the past 9 days in Arizona
exceeded 8" of water content (and a lot of wet snow up around Flagstaff)
in some areas.  Even Phoenix managed 2-3" rainfall totals.   Iin
California there were many CoCoRaHS precipitation totals over 12".  Good
job.  Your patience paid off.  Thanks, also, for those who made the
extra effort to send in "Significant Weather Reports" to report the
heavy rains and mountains snows as they fell.  Those reports can be
submitted at any time day or night and help notify NWS forecast offices
of significant weather in progress.  Fell free to submit "Significant
Weather Reports" at any time you are receiving heavy rain, heavy snow or
are observing other phenomenon of interest.


Glaciers retreating.

I'm referring to the ice in our horse corrals.  We haven't had any new
snow now for over two weeks here in Fort Collins, CO.  The ground is
still mostly white, and the ice patches on the side of the roads are
thick and slippery.  But  gradually more bare ground is showing.  The
ice in the corral and around the barn is downright nasty, and I won't
comment about my efforts to clean up after the horses.  A pick axe would
be needed, I'm afraid.  But it's getting better.  As of today, the
official Colorado State University weather station has had continuous
snow cover for 50 days.  It's now only 2" deep on average -- mostly
solid ice.  That snow/ice will need to last two more weeks to have a
chance of tying the record for longest continuous snow cover.  That
seems unlikely now that the sun is higher in the sky each day.

There is good news to report from our little farm.  Our little barn cat,
Mittens, showed up this evening.  She had been missing for a couple of
days and feared lost -- possibly at the hands (talons) of the Great
Horned Owl that lives nearby.  But alas, my fears were unwarranted.
She was just out hunting, I guess.  The longer daylength  has brought
new enthusiasm to our hens, and egg production  has picked up
noticeable.  After nearly a two month lull, they are now laying more
eggs than we can eat.


Reporting Depth of Snow on Ground

We've had a lot of questions about reporting total depth of snow on the
ground  -- especially on days when no new snow has fallen.  Yes, if you
can make a reasonable estimate of the average depth of the old snow
remaining on the ground each day when you take your daily measurements,
that data is appreciated.  The depth of snow is used by weather
forecasters to help improve local temperature forecasts.  Areas with
snow lingering on the ground are typically a lot colder than areas where
the snow never accumulated or already melted.  Likewise, remnant snow
cover also affects soil temperatures, soil moisture and the water
available for runoff and potential flooding when that snow melts.  So if
you can get a measurement, even if it's approximate, please send it in.
Likewise, if you can get a measurement of the water equivalent of that
old snow on the ground, that's valuable too.  Right now, while we only
have about 2" of snow left on the ground here, it's very icy and
contains nearly 1.00" of water.  The default value on our computer
system is NA, so just type your reading into the box and replace the
NA.  If you don't have snow on the ground, please type in 0.0"

Zero is better than nothing

Please remember that it is very, very helpful to report even when no
precipitation has fallen.  The more complete your data records, the more
useful the data are to us and the many others who are looking at
CoCoRaHS data.  Don't forget that we have the "Monthly Zeros" report to
make it easy to go back and fill in the days when it didn't rain or snow.


CoCoRaHS on youtube

We got an e-mail this morning from North Dakota with a link to a youtube
video.  It was posted by a Fargo, ND TV meteorologist.  Here's the
link.  It's very good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKlpFuaLw0I

I don't have much time or inclination to explore youtube, but while I
was watching the ND video, I noticed that several other CoCoRaHS videos
have been posted including a series of training videos posted by New
Mexico State University.  Take a look.


Signing off

Thanks again for helping with CoCoRaHS.  This is a team effort.   If you
happen to be in Colorado this week and have plans to visit the Colorado
Farm Show in Greeley, we'll be there this Wednesday.  Stop by the
National Weather Service booth.

Sincerely,

Nolan Doesken
Colorado State University

During our Jan 27th training class there was a discussion about recording our
data on paper, as a backup to the CoCoRaHS website.
There are printable forms available and also an Excel Spreadsheet that is
downloadable from CoCoRaHS.
If you have not yet done so, just go to the CoCoRaHS website and on the left
side under 'Resources' look for printable forms.  There are a few options to
choose from, I prefer the 'Precipitation Report (in Excel Form)'.  This form
allows you to enter daily reports for each month and graphs the rainfall for
your recordings. In this program there are also sheets that display Total
Precipitation, Total Snowfall, Trace Rain and Total Days of Preciptation.
Enjoy.

George Boswell, WA-SN-54

--- In cocorahs_wa@yahoogroups.com, "George, K7YHB" <K7yhb@...> wrote:
>
> During our Jan 27th training class there was a discussion about recording our
data on paper, as a backup to the CoCoRaHS website.
> There are printable forms available and also an Excel Spreadsheet that is
downloadable from CoCoRaHS.
> If you have not yet done so, just go to the CoCoRaHS website and on the left
side under 'Resources' look for printable forms.  There are a few options to
choose from, I prefer the 'Precipitation Report (in Excel Form)'.  This form
allows you to enter daily reports for each month and graphs the rainfall for
your recordings. In this program there are also sheets that display Total
Precipitation, Total Snowfall, Trace Rain and Total Days of Preciptation.
> Enjoy.
>
> George Boswell, WA-SN-54
>

George

I got a weather station from Santa and have been using that form daily since the
1st of the year. When I went though the training a couple years a couple year
ago I was assigned Lewis 6.

On the spreadsheet, there is a heading Section for Stn Name and Stn number.
Could you help me out? If my observer number is Lewis 6 .... what is my Stn name
and Stn number? Confused as usual. I enjoy recording this daily information for
my personal information, but is this something I should send to someone? I am
still confused about the difference between the observer for Skywarn and
CoCoRaHA.

kim - ac7yy
Lewis 6

Kim,

It sounds like 'Lewis 6' is your Skywarn ID, mine is Snohomish 121.

If you are logging on to the CoCoRaHS website to report your weather information
on the 'Daily Precipitation Report Form', your station number and name is at the
top of that form. All other information you would fill in at the top of the
Excel Spreadsheet is available at the CoCoRaHS website after you login.

If you are currently not a CoCoRaHS member please go to the website at
cocorahs.org and at the right hand side of the page there is an Icon that says
'Join CoCoRaHS click here'.  Just click this and it will take you to a sign up
page.  It's all free and a lot of fun.  After joining you will be issued a
Station Number and Name.

I hope this helps.  If you have any further questions, you can email me directly
at k7yhb@....

73,
George, K7YHB
WA-SN-54
Snohomish 121


>
> George
>
> I got a weather station from Santa and have been using that form daily since
the 1st of the year. When I went though the training a couple years a couple
year ago I was assigned Lewis 6.
>
> On the spreadsheet, there is a heading Section for Stn Name and Stn number.
Could you help me out? If my observer number is Lewis 6 .... what is my Stn name
and Stn number? Confused as usual. I enjoy recording this daily information for
my personal information, but is this something I should send to someone? I am
still confused about the difference between the observer for Skywarn and
CoCoRaHA.
>
> kim - ac7yy
> Lewis 6
>

Dear CoCoRaHS volunteers, family and friends:

Good morning and happy groundhog day!


Southern Snow

  From West Texas to Georgia, South Carolina and up to Delaware, many of
you got a chance to measure and report snow sleet and freezing rain
these past few days. Good job. We received a few "interesting" reports
as folks not accustomed to snow tried to figure out what to do. There
were some 5.00 and 6.00" reports of "rain and melted snow" where well
meaning enthusiastic weather observers measured the accumulation of new
snow and then reported that as the precipitation amount. Alas you need
to melt it first to get the water content. Others tried to report 0.00"
for the precipitation amount, thinking that if it snowed that you
shouldn't report a value for "rain and melted snow". Oh well. With
practice, we get better.


Celebration

1) It's groundhog day -- a traditional day for meteorological musings,
fun and frolic. It's not because we believe a shadow from a ground hog
means anything and not because winter is ever over so soon. But when
we've made it to February 2, the coldest and darkest part of winter is
almost always behind us. Farm, garden and yard work will be coming soon.

  From the time I was a small child of 4 or 5 back in central Illinois,
groundhog day was special. My father somehow sensed my early
meteorological curiosity and often had a story to share. He kept a daily
journal of weather conditions and he would sometimes pull out the
journal and show me what February and March weather conditions had been
in previous years. There was usually an article in the local newspaper,
too. I recall stories about 1899 when on Feb 2 the winter was just
getting started. In the following days, temperatures dropped below zero
Fahrenheit all the way down to northern Florida. Here in northern
Colorado we had many days below -30F in February 1899 and more than 200
inches of snow fell in the mountains cutting off access to the old
mining towns like Aspen and Crested Butte. By comparison, this year
looks pretty bland.

2) I am very pleased to announce the results of our "Five for CoCoRaHS"
fund raising campaign.. Thanks to nearly 400 donations the last week of
January, a total of $35,000 was received since mid December to help keep
CoCoRaHS going this year. More than 1700 individual donations were
received. Some are still trickling in. Most came in the form of $5
donations, but quite a few chose to give more. The CoCoRaHS staff and I
are most grateful and appreciative. We will do our best to put these
funds to good use for the project.. We still have our work cut out for
us, but now we can go to the organizations that use our data and show
them just how involved and committed the CoCoRaHS team really is.

While the official campaign is over, we'll still be able to receive
contributions through the year. If you know of individuals or
organizations who are benefiting from CoCoRaHS, encourage them to help.
There is a "Donate" button on the CoCoRaHS homepage at
http://www.cocorahs.org


Flooding ahead? Please measure the SWE

I received a call yesterday from the National Operational Hydrologic
Remote Sensing Center up in Minnesota. They along with the National
Weather Service River Forecast Center are carefully watching the deep
snow over the northern plains and are concerned about another spring of
possible flooding. A lot can happen, of course between now and early
April, but there is enough water in the existing snow that has been
sitting on the ground now for many weeks to cause immediate concern.

Why did they call me? Because they utilize CoCoRaHS data. They
specifically asked me to encourage our volunteers to try to measure and
report SWE. SWE stands for "Snow Water Equivalent" and it refers to the
amount of water in the snow that remains on the ground. I realize it's
not all that easy to go out in the morning and take a core sample of
that deep snow and then melt and measure it. But if you can -- even if
it's just a few times a week -- please do. Remember, you may need a
spatula to help keep the granular snow from falling out when you pull
the cylinder back up out of the snow. And if the snow is deeper than
about 12-15" you may need to take more than one core to get all the snow
down to ground level. Our plastic gauges aren't strong enough to
penetrate through layers of ice in the old snow, but do your best. Our
data could help improve the accuracy of flood forecasts in the weeks ahead.

I've been amazed watching our SWE here in Fort Collins. The snow that
was 9-10" deep a month ago and held nearly 1" of water is now down to
just 1-2" in depth. But guess what? The water content of that remaining
snow is now over 1" The structure of the snow has changed completely. I
nearly cut myself on the icy crystals the other morning. While the snow
seems to be disappearing, most of the water is still there and has not
evaporated or soaked into the frozen ground.

We have instructions on how to measure SWE in our training materials,
but they don't cover all the difficult situations you might encounter.
Having a scale to measure the weight of the snow makes the measurement
much quicker and easier. I wish we had a source of funds to buy better
equipment for everyone who lives in deep snow country, but make the best
of it and help if you can. If you have more questions, please contact
your local CoCoRaHS coordinator.

All,

It was brought to my attention that the message I sent out early today
seemed to end abruptly. I checked, and sure enough it quit part way
through. Here is the rest of the story. Sorry for the inconvenience..


Will there be drought?

Floods, blizzards, hurricanes, tornadoes and hail get the bulk of media
attention. But year in and year out it is drought here in the U.S. and
across the world that is the most costly natural disaster. Fortunately
as we move towards spring 2010, drought conditions have softened across
the country. The extreme south Texas drought of 2009 has nearly ended
and the huge rains in January helped alleviate some of the drought in AZ
and CA.

History shows us time after time that drought will re-emerge --
somewhere.. Despite our best efforts, it remains a difficult challenge
to predict months in advance where the next large drought will develop.
We just need to be watchful and ready.

Through CoCoRaHS, we are helping monitor drought conditions in the
country. But drought is not just about how much precipitation falls or
fails to fall. It is the consequences of insufficient precipitation that
can make life difficult.

Beginning this week, if all goes well, we will be adding a new feature
to CoCoRaHS. It will be possible for each and every one of us to report
"Drought Impacts" via the CoCoRaHS website. Drought impacts can be as
minor as your lawn turning brown to as major as wells going dry, water
restrictions, shriveled crops, dry streambeds and much more.

At this time of year, there are likely few if any major drought impacts
occurring. This is sure to change in the weeks and months ahead as warm
temperatures arrive and thirsty vegetation springs back to life.. Stay
tuned as we provide more information on how to determine and report
drought impacts. When that time comes in your area please help us. Visit
www.drought.gov to learn more about drought and what we can do about it.


Mud by day, ice by night

I learn a lot about the hydrologic cycle as I do the daily chores on our
little farm. In the morning the ground is solid ice, but by afternoon
there is a layer of slimy mud.. Shortly after sunset it's back to ice
again. The north side stays ice covered regardless of temperature and
the ground there may be frozen 2-3 feet down.

A number of you have asked about Angel. Angel, the huge Great Pyrenees
we got from the rescue a few years ago, now lives next door with our
son. It works out well since it puts more space between the dog and our
chickens. But lately Angel has been showing up at our gate almost every
day. She's found a way to open one of the gates next door. She then
strolls down the road past our house and over to the neighbors where
there is a gap in the fence. From there, she wades through the snow
drifts in the pasture and then arrives near our back gate. What a dog --
all 138 pounds. So far, she's just happy to see us and has left the
chickens alone. What an angel.


Horse Thieves

We had a break in Sunday AM.. The tack room in the barn was raided and
most of the grain and feed supplements were stolen. We didn't have to go
far, however, to find the culprits. Our three brown horses all had
chunks of feed sacks around their feet and loose oats on their whiskers.
Clearly guilty!. We must have left the latch unlocked and the horses
figured out how to open the door. They've had some indigestion this
week, but they are getting over it.


And finally -- buds, blossoms, migrations and more

Many of us watch more than weather. What we observe in our own backyards
and neighborhoods can be very helpful to a variety of scientists. If you
are a chronic "watcher" and would like to help study climate from a
different perspective, here is an invitation that I just received
yesterday. I planted 4 special lilac bushes as a part of this project
more than a year ago. They grew great last year thanks to our cool, wet
summer. This year they may be big enough to bloom.

The USA-National Phenology Network – Taking the Pulse of Our Planet

Join the effort to track plants and animals’ responses to weather and
climate! Citizens and scientists alike are monitoring plant and animal
/phenology/ to better understand the impacts of climate change.**

/ /People have tracked phenology for centuries - for the most practical
of reasons – when to plant and harvest crops, navigate waterways and
manage livestock, manage wildlife and fisheries. Now phenology provides
an invaluable tool to assess climate change and its effects.

*What is Phenology? **//*

Phenology is the study of the seasonal timing of cyclical life events,
which include bird, fish, and mammal migrations; insect emergence; plant
leafing, blooming, fruiting, and changing of leaf colors in autumn;
egg-laying; and emergence from hibernation. Phenological events are
sensitive to weather and climate, which makes them an important living
ba­rometer, or indicator, of their environment.

*Why Observe?*

The USA-NPN is enlisting professional and citizen scientists, students,
stewards of public and private lands, amateur naturalists, gardeners and
other outdoor enthusiasts. By joining the USA-NPN, you can help compile
information on phenological responses to weather and climate. You can
make a difference by recording your observations, which will then be
used to provide information for a wide range of decisions made routinely
by individual citizens and by the nation and a whole.

*How can I participate?*

Learn more about which species you can monitor, what to look for, and
how to report your observations at www.usanpn.org <http://www.usanpn.org/>.


Thanks so much for being a part of CoCoRaHS. Please tell others about
the project as there are still so many areas where we have few or no
gauges.

Nolan
Colorado State University

The National Weather Service has opened up a TOLL FREE Hotline for reporting
Severe Weather. This Hotline is for the Public as well as Trained SKYWARN
Spotters.

YOU MUST READ THE ENTIRE POST PRIOR TO REPORTING.
The number is posted at the bottom of this notice.

The National Weather Service encourages everyone to report severe weather.

HOW TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER USING THIS SYSTEM

in order to use this system you must know your,

1: Latitude Longitude by Degrees and Minutes

2: Or Zip Code

If either of these two items are not available then you must leave a very
detailed voice message at the end as to your location

What State are you in,
What County are you in,
What City are you in or closest to,
What is the nearest cross street, highway or interstate,
What mile post,
What is a well known Landmark,
What direction is the storm or event from your location
Is it still occurring,
what direction is it moving I.E. North, South, East, or West.

Be as detailed, in your report and location as possible IDENTIFY YOUR SELF WITH
YOUR NAME PHONE NUMBER, ADDRESS AND CoCoRaHS Station Number
When Prompted to leave a Voice Message.

When Prompted to leave a Voice Message, Remain Calm. Make sure you are in a safe
location. The NWS would much rather not
receive a report if it puts your safety in jeopardy.
YOUR SAFETY COMES FIRST!!!

Be as descriptive as possible, include thickness of tree limbs, rainfall
amounts and any damage or weather occurrence you feel is important to report.

SEVERE WEATHER REPORTING GUIDE LINES FOR WASHINGTON STATE

WESTERN WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debris being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

TORNADO, WATERSPOUT, FUNNEL CLOUD, WALL CLOUD -

Location, time, and direction of movement. Is it still visible? Watch for
rotation in the cloud(s). Any damage?

HAIL - Pea-sized or larger. Any damage?

LIGHTNING - Frequent (4 or more per minute) cloud-to-ground lightning inforested
areas.

DAMAGING WINDS - Trees/power lines knocked down, damage to homes, etc. If you
have an anemometer, report any sustained winds over 35 MPH or gusts over 50 mph.
You Can also use the Beaufort Scale for an estimate. Note: sustained winds are a
one
minute average.

HEAVY RAIN - One-half (0.50) inch in one hour. Two inches or more in 24 hours or
less. Has it ended?

FLOODING - OF ANY KIND! Are waters rising or falling? Any damage, mud or rock
slides, and/or roads blocked?

SNOW - One inch accumulation or more in three hours. 4 inches in 12 hours or
less.

FREEZING PRECIPITATION - Any accumulation of sleet or freezing rain / drizzle.

POOR VISIBILITY - Reduced visibility adversely impacting transportation. Less
than one-half miles for DENSE FOG and BLOWING SNOW.
BLOWING DUST and VOLCANIC ASH. Less than 300 feet

SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

Wind: 50 mph or stronger
Hail: 3/4 inch (penny or dime size) or larger in diameter
Flooding: Any significant amount of water in normally dry areas
River Flooding: Any river rising above their normal bank level
Heavy Rain: Rain rates of 1 inch per hour or greater
And - Rain greater than 1 inch in 24 hours
Heavy Snow: Call while snowing at a rate of 1 inch per hour or greater
And - Call with total snow fall if >= 1 inch when the snow ends
Low Visibilities: Visibility less than 1/2 mile due to fog, dust, rain, or snow
Freezing Rain: Any freezing rain

EASTERN WASHINGTON REGION

FUNNEL CLOUD OR TORNADO
1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

HAIL
Pea-sized or larger

STRONG WINDS
30 mph+ or winds that produce any damage. Estimate using Beaufort chart.

HEAVY RAINFALL
0.50 inch in one hour - showery
1 inch in 12 hrs or 1.5 inches in 24 hrs – steady rain

FLOODING
Of any kind...including possible dam or levee failure. Watch for changing water
levels.

SNOW
2 inches or more – valleys
6 inches or more - mountains

MIXED PRECIPITATION
Any freezing rain or sleet

POOR VISIBILITY
One half mile or less in blowing dust or snow etc.

TRAVEL PROBLEMS DUE TO WEATHER
Conditions where poor or hazardous travel conditions observed or reported

ANY DAMAGE, INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE DUE TO WEATHER
Be sure to include location, time and specific cause

SOUTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado
Location, time and direction of movement.

Hail: Pea size or larger.

Lightning: Continuous lightning (more than 6 flashes per minute).

Heavy Rain: Half an inch or more per hour. Report heavy rain even if you are
outside a flood prone area.

Heavy Snow: Accumulations of four inches in 12 hours or one inch per hour.

Flooding: Of ANY kind, including dam or levee failure. Are waters rising or
falling?

Damaging Wind: Trees or power lines knocked down, damage to buildings, etc.
Report any wind of at least 40 mph using the Beaufort Scale.

Fog, Blowing Dust, Blowing Snow: Report initial onslaught of event when poor
visibility impacts travel.

Freezing Rain: Report initial onslaught of event when it impacts travel.
Mudslides: Any event causing damage or road closure.

NATIONAL SEVERE WEATHER REPORTING HOT LINE 877-633-6772

CoCoRaHS OBSERVER
TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT


Date: Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Time: 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management

CoCoRaHS of Snohomish County in cooperation with
Snohomish County Office of Emergency Management,

Will be providing comprehensive CoCoRaHS Observer training to new and veteran
Observers, including citizens, and those affiliated with emergency management.
Observers are needed throughout all of Snohomish County.
If you are interested in attending this training please contact Sean Kiaer at
snocounty.cocorahs@... to reserve your spot

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE SNOHOMISH COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
REGARDING THIS TRAINING SESSION. ALL INQUIREIES ARE TO BE DIRECTED TO SNOHOMISH
COUNTY COCORAHS

DOOR PRIZE to be given away

A NOAA Weather Radio (Midland WR-100 with SAME Technology) will be given away as
a Door Prize (Donated by Everett Mall Best Buy)

The National Weather Service has opened up a TOLL FREE Hotline for reporting
Severe Weather. This Hotline is for the Public as well as Trained SKYWARN
Spotters.

YOU MUST READ THE ENTIRE POST PRIOR TO REPORTING.
The number is posted at the bottom of this notice.

The National Weather Service encourages everyone to report severe weather.

HOW TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER USING THIS SYSTEM

in order to use this system you must know your,

1: Latitude Longitude by Degrees and Minutes

2: Or Zip Code

If either of these two items are not available then you must leave a very
detailed voice message at the end as to your location

What State are you in,
What County are you in,
What City are you in or closest to,
What is the nearest cross street, highway or interstate,
What mile post,
What is a well known Landmark,
What direction is the storm or event from your location
Is it still occurring,
what direction is it moving I.E. North, South, East, or West.

Be as detailed, in your report and location as possible IDENTIFY YOUR SELF WITH
YOUR NAME PHONE NUMBER, ADDRESS AND CoCoRaHS Station Number
When Prompted to leave a Voice Message.

When Prompted to leave a Voice Message, Remain Calm. Make sure you are in a safe
location. The NWS would much rather not
receive a report if it puts your safety in jeopardy.
YOUR SAFETY COMES FIRST!!!

Be as descriptive as possible, include thickness of tree limbs, rainfall
amounts and any damage or weather occurrence you feel is important to report.

SEVERE WEATHER REPORTING GUIDE LINES FOR WASHINGTON STATE

WESTERN WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debris being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

TORNADO, WATERSPOUT, FUNNEL CLOUD, WALL CLOUD -

Location, time, and direction of movement. Is it still visible? Watch for
rotation in the cloud(s). Any damage?

HAIL - Pea-sized or larger. Any damage?

LIGHTNING - Frequent (4 or more per minute) cloud-to-ground lightning inforested
areas.

DAMAGING WINDS - Trees/power lines knocked down, damage to homes, etc. If you
have an anemometer, report any sustained winds over 35 MPH or gusts over 50 mph.
You Can also use the Beaufort Scale for an estimate. Note: sustained winds are a
one
minute average.

HEAVY RAIN - One-half (0.50) inch in one hour. Two inches or more in 24 hours or
less. Has it ended?

FLOODING - OF ANY KIND! Are waters rising or falling? Any damage, mud or rock
slides, and/or roads blocked?

SNOW - One inch accumulation or more in three hours. 4 inches in 12 hours or
less.

FREEZING PRECIPITATION - Any accumulation of sleet or freezing rain / drizzle.

POOR VISIBILITY - Reduced visibility adversely impacting transportation. Less
than one-half miles for DENSE FOG and BLOWING SNOW.
BLOWING DUST and VOLCANIC ASH. Less than 300 feet

SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

Wind: 50 mph or stronger
Hail: 3/4 inch (penny or dime size) or larger in diameter
Flooding: Any significant amount of water in normally dry areas
River Flooding: Any river rising above their normal bank level
Heavy Rain: Rain rates of 1 inch per hour or greater
And - Rain greater than 1 inch in 24 hours
Heavy Snow: Call while snowing at a rate of 1 inch per hour or greater
And - Call with total snow fall if >= 1 inch when the snow ends
Low Visibilities: Visibility less than 1/2 mile due to fog, dust, rain, or snow
Freezing Rain: Any freezing rain

EASTERN WASHINGTON REGION

FUNNEL CLOUD OR TORNADO
1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado

HAIL
Pea-sized or larger

STRONG WINDS
30 mph+ or winds that produce any damage. Estimate using Beaufort chart.

HEAVY RAINFALL
0.50 inch in one hour - showery
1 inch in 12 hrs or 1.5 inches in 24 hrs – steady rain

FLOODING
Of any kind...including possible dam or levee failure. Watch for changing water
levels.

SNOW
2 inches or more – valleys
6 inches or more - mountains

MIXED PRECIPITATION
Any freezing rain or sleet

POOR VISIBILITY
One half mile or less in blowing dust or snow etc.

TRAVEL PROBLEMS DUE TO WEATHER
Conditions where poor or hazardous travel conditions observed or reported

ANY DAMAGE, INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE DUE TO WEATHER
Be sure to include location, time and specific cause

SOUTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON REGION

1: TORNADO: A violently rotating column of air IN CONTACT with the ground and
extending from the base of a thunderstorm.
Visual Key: is there dust & debries being picked up below the funnel

2: FUNNEL CLOUD: Violently rotating column of air that is not in contact with
the ground.
Visual Key: Look below the Funnel for Dust and debris being picked up if there
is then it is a Tornado
Location, time and direction of movement.

Hail: Pea size or larger.

Lightning: Continuous lightning (more than 6 flashes per minute).

Heavy Rain: Half an inch or more per hour. Report heavy rain even if you are
outside a flood prone area.

Heavy Snow: Accumulations of four inches in 12 hours or one inch per hour.

Flooding: Of ANY kind, including dam or levee failure. Are waters rising or
falling?

Damaging Wind: Trees or power lines knocked down, damage to buildings, etc.
Report any wind of at least 40 mph using the Beaufort Scale.

Fog, Blowing Dust, Blowing Snow: Report initial onslaught of event when poor
visibility impacts travel.

Freezing Rain: Report initial onslaught of event when it impacts travel.
Mudslides: Any event causing damage or road closure.

NATIONAL SEVERE WEATHER REPORTING HOT LINE 877-633-6772

CoCoRaHS OBSERVER
TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT


Date: Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Time: 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management

CoCoRaHS of Snohomish County in cooperation with
Snohomish County Office of Emergency Management,

Will be providing comprehensive CoCoRaHS Observer training to new and veteran
Observers, including citizens, and those affiliated with emergency management.
Observers are needed throughout all of Snohomish County.
If you are interested in attending this training please contact Sean Kiaer at
snocounty.cocorahs@... to reserve your spot

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE SNOHOMISH COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
REGARDING THIS TRAINING SESSION. ALL INQUIREIES ARE TO BE DIRECTED TO SNOHOMISH
COUNTY COCORAHS

DOOR PRIZE to be given away

A NOAA Weather Radio (Midland WR-100 with SAME Technology) will be given away as
a Door Prize (Donated by Everett Mall Best Buy)

Monday Morning CoCoRaHS Greetings:

The long winter

With one week left in February, we’re waking up to the sound of snow
plows on our street once again here in northern Colorado. In fact, it’s
been snowing on and off for 4 straight days and our seasonal snowfall
total is up to almost 70 inches. Our traditionally snowiest month is
still ahead of us – March. It’s a winter wonderland out there just like
it was in late December, early December, mid November, late October.
Wait, when did winter begin this year? It’s been a long one, and it’s
not likely over yet.

Checking the CoCoRaHS map of total depth of snow on ground Sunday
morning, there was plenty of snow from Reno, NV to Flagstaff, AZ to
Dodge City, KS, to Cincinnati, Ohio and on to the Great Smoky Mountains,
up to Washington DC and on to New England. In fact, it looked like about
half the lower 48 states are still covered with snow. The Mid-Atlantic
snow pack is retreating now after their huge storms, but many areas
still have a good foot or more of water-soaked snow left on the ground
(and thanks so much to everyone that takes that measurement). Much of
Iowa has been dealing with deep snow since the beginning of December.
Even places like Cincinnati have been pushing deep snow around for over
two weeks. As the snow persists, fewer of us are keeping up with the
measurements. Is it possible that people are “sick of winter” :-) ?

By the way, check out the maps in the Reno, NV yesterday and today. They
got pounded by a surprise local storm. Everyone seems to be taking a
turn at measuring snow this year.


Hang in there – the SWE will eventually be gone

Measuring deep, old, icy snow is neither easy nor necessarily enjoyable,
but we appreciate all of you who have tried your best to measure the new
snow, the water content, the total depth of snow and the snow water
equivalent (SWE) of the total snow depth on the ground. Since we started
doing “Monday SWE” a few weeks ago, over 500 of us have taken Monday
morning core samples from the snow left on the ground to determine the
“snow water equivalent”. The folks at the National Operational
Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center and many of our River Forecast Centers
across the country greatly appreciate these measurements. They help
forecasters anticipate how much water is available in the snow to
contribute to soil moisture, runoff, and river flow in the weeks ahead.
Keep those measurements coming until your snow is completely gone.


Many questions arose from the ”SWE Monday” campaign. Here are a few
quick answers to common questions

?? “Where do I enter this information?” Answer: It’s our regular daily
“Precipitation Report Form” under “Total Snow and Ice on Ground at
Observation Time”

?? “I can’t get a good measure of the water content. Is it OK if I just
report the total snow depth and skip the SWE?” Answer: Yes, that helps a
lot too. Do what you can.

?? “I’m not as agile as I used to be. Can I opt out of this report?”
Answer: Yes, measuring snow depth and SWE are important, but optional.
Please don’t risk hurting yourself on ice and snow for CoCoRaHS.

?? “What if we think the snow is going to melt during the week, before
we can measure the next Monday?” The “SWE Monday” campaign is primarily
for areas with deep and persistent snow cover where it is not practical
to measure every day. For most areas of the country, snow may only stay
on the ground a few days. In those areas, it’s best to measure each and
every day while you have the chance. If the SWE changes a lot from day
to day due to new precipitation or melting, it’s also a good idea to
send in more than just one report per week.

?? “If I report SWE on Monday, does that mean you don’t want my daily
precipitation reports the other days of the week?” Answer: Continue to
do your regular daily precipitation report each day, including new snow
and total snow depth.

?? “I live in New York and I was told specifically to report SWE on
Wednesdays. Now I’m confused.” Answer: We learned that in some parts of
the country, the local practice was to measure the SWE on Wednesday or
Fridays, and not Monday’s. Sorry for the confusion. If you have received
specific instructions from your CoCoRaHS coordinator to measure and
report SWE on a different day, stick with your local instructions. Or if
you can do both, that’s good too.

Storm Warning!

It may still seem like winter, but the severe thunderstorm season can
start any day now across the southern states and quickly move up into
the Midwest and the Ohio Valley. My home county in central Illinois,
Champaign County, took several direct hits from tornadoes in March when
I was growing up there. It is something we must take seriously.

Please be ready for the 2010 severe weather season. If you are concerned
about tornadoes, I strongly encourage you to check your local National
Weather Service website and find out about severe weather spotter
training sessions for your area. http://www.weather.gov

Be prepared to measure and report hail. We’ve had over 70 reports of
hail already this year, but there will be many more storms in the months
ahead. If you plan to use hail pads to measure and report hail (and we
recommend it), this is a good time to make sure you have a couple of
fresh, new hail pads ready to install. There are instructions on the
website on how to make your own. Don’t wait until the last minute, or
the storm will hit and you’ll still have the pad indoors.

Remember, we have a special report form on the CoCoRaHS website
specifically for reporting hail. Get familiar with it. You don’t need to
have a hail pad in order to report hail.

March Madness, CoCoRaHS style.

A traditional part of spring is our annual “March Madness” friendly
competition to see what states can sign up the most new CoCoRaHS
volunteers. This will be the first year where all 50 states are in the
competition. Take advantage of this opportunity to help recruit more
participants for CoCoRaHS. If you know of anyone who might be
interested, point them to http://www.cocorahs.org
<http://www.cocorahs.org/> and click “Join CoCoRaHS”. We’ll post the
scores each week in our “Message of the Day” so we can all track the
results.

By the way, we’ve been holding steady at between 6800 and 8000 CoCoRaHS
reports per day most of the winter, but as the weather warms up we hope
to shoot for 10,000 reports per day by May.


Zero is better than nothing

We appreciate knowing both when it does rain and snow, and when it
doesn’t. It only takes about 5 seconds to send in your daily report when
there was no precipitation, and it really helps. Thanks.


A fresh new face in CoCoRaHS

I just wanted to let you know that there is a new baby in the CoCoRaHS
family. Julian Turner, our web developer who maintains the website and
all the millions of CoCoRaHS data records, and his wife are the proud
parents of their second child -- a baby girl born over the weekend.
Little “Alden Grace Turner” is very small – less than 4 pounds – and
will be in neonatal intensive care for awhile. But Julian reports that
she is feisty and ready for action. We wish them the best.

Drought Impacts

In the last two weeks we added a new feature to the CoCoRaHS website –
the ability to report drought impacts that you are observing or have
observed in your area. We chose a convenient time to launch, because
hardly any of the country is facing drought right now. But it is almost
a sure bet that in the weeks ahead, some parts of the country will be on
the short end of the stick when it comes to spring and summer rainfall.


http://www.cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=droughtimpactreports


When you have a minute, take a look at the drought impact information.
Then, when you find your community experiencing the impacts of drought,
please use the CoCoRaHS “Drought Impacts” entry form to let us know.
Information provided will be shared with the National Drought Mitigation
Center at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. By the way, you can
always go back and enter a description of impacts you have observed in
the past.


One less shirt, one less shoe, but many more eggs

Lily, our young Australian shepherd, is not on my good side right now.
We had a few sunny days just over a week ago, and my wife hung some
clothes out on the line. We weren’t around to see it, but Lily managed
to pull down my best dress shirt and chewed off the collar and a sleeve.
There were several shirts on the line that I wouldn’t have minded
sacrificing, but she chose the best. Then on Saturday, while it was
snowing hard, I left my shoes outside the door briefly so as to not
track snow into the house, I was only inside for about 10 minutes, but
when I came back, part of my new shoe that my daughter gave me for
Christmas was chewed up. Bummer, I know it was my fault, but still -- --
-- -- I thought she was past that. On the brighter side, our chickens
are laying eggs very well again, and the eggs are delicious.


In conclusion

Thanks again for being a part of CoCoRaHS. If you are new to this
project and haven’t gotten started yet, this would be a great day to begin.

Best wishes,

Nolan Doesken
Colorado State University