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

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 of Washington Yahoo Group is moving to Facebook.
Come Join us at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_143057402422896

Just remember that when you send your request to join the group that you give
your Station Number and you will be approved

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Dear CoCoRaHS Friends,

Greetings past, present and future rain/snow/hail gaugers.  If you are
new to CoCoRaHS and need some help getting started, just let us know.

As this arctic surge and developing winter storm grip so much of the
country, I just wanted to send words of CoCoRaHS thanks and
encouragement.  The number of daily precipitation reports have been
dropping off of late.  Many of us may be growing weary of winter or are
just plain having trouble measuring the icy snow that has been piling up
in some areas.

Don't give up and please know that:

1)  Your precipitation reports are really, really important and are
being used every day by weather, water, agricultural and educational
professionals across the country

2)   This /might/ be the last severe cold blast of the winter  -- so
hold on. You can make it!

3)  The days are getting longer and in a couple more weeks the increased
day length and warmer temperatures will become obvious.  (There are a
few exceptions such as near the Great Lakes where pre-spring warm up
usually lags by a few weeks)

4)  But don't forget that old adage . . . . "As the days grow longer,
the storms grow stronger" since that is often the case as we move
towards spring.

5) We are rapidly approaching severe storm season -- starting first in
the South and then shifting northward into the Central Plains and
Mississippi Valley as we head toward March, April and May.  Take the
appropriate precautions to be ready.  Your National Weather Service
office may be holding severe weather spotter training sessions in your
area, so check their website for dates and locations.

6)  As the sun gets higher in the sky and the temperatures warm, then
the risk of drought impacts will also be increasing for those of you in
areas that have been missing the recent storms.  In the event that
drought creeps into your area, please let us know by filing a "Drought
Impact Report"
http://www.cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=droughtimpactreports

So keep on reporting your measurements -- if it's appropriate.  And get
ready to start again once winter weather passes, if you've been staying
warm, dry and safe inside this winter.  Remember that "Significant
Weather Reports' are welcome any hour of the day if you are experiencing
heavy rain, heavy snow or anything else you think your local weather
experts should know about.


Seattle, Greeley, Denver, Nashville

My job as climatologist for Colorado has carried me to several cities in
the last 10 days.  Each was a totally different meeting (American
Meteorological Society Annual Meeting, Colorado Farm Show, Colorado
Water Congress, National Association of Conservation Districts).  Yet,
at each and every meeting I ran into enthusiastic CoCoRaHS volunteers.
There was even a Virginia volunteer at the Colorado Farm Show, and there
were Wyoming and New York volunteers here at the National Association of
Conservation Districts in Nashville.

I can't tell you what a warm and wonderful feeling it is to find fellow
faithful CoCoRaHS participants all across the country.  It's like
finding an old friend.  By being here in Tennessee this week I am
missing the -10F temperatures back home in Colorado.  Instead I'll get
to see winter rain, hear some thunder, and feel a Tennessee cold front
rip through on Tuesday night.


Snow Water Equivalent (SWE)  -- a huge thanks.

Our rain gauges are great for rain and modest snows, but they aren't the
best for measuring the water content of deep snow.  Nevertheless, I was
amazed that over 1000 of us measured and reported the SWE (water content
of the snowpack on the ground) when we started our SWE Monday campaign a
few weeks ago.  That was awesome! Thank you so much.  We are looking for
tougher tubes and affordable scales that might make this measurement
easier.  The National Weather Service sent us a design to use automotive
tail pipes to take measurements of snow water equivalent.  I will share
that with you soon when I get back home.


The 2010 Water Year Summary

I've been heading in so many directions that I failed to tell you that
Zack completed a comprehensive summary of the 2010 water year across the
country and has posted this on our website.  Here's a link to it.

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

The driest parts of the country had less than 5" of total precipitation
for the year while a few of you measured over 100" for the year.  Snow
totals ranged from zero to over 500" for the year.  Take a look.  These
data are fascinating.  Next year, we'll have even more complete data to
work with so the report will be even better.


Facebook and Twitter

In case you haven't noticed, popular demand and knocking opportunity got
the best of us.  CoCoRaHS is blogging,  booking and twittering.  If this
is something you want to participate in, just go to the homepage at
www.cocorahs.org and you will see the appropriate symbols to click on.


The CoCoRaHS Rain Gauge Photo Calendar

Yes, we are having a sale.  $7.75 each plus shipping until they are
gone.  There will never be another CoCoRaHS calendar quite like this
one, so please pick up a couple.  Thanks for making this shared effort a
success.

http://www.weatheryourway.com/cocorahs/cal2011coco.htm


Conclusion

Be careful during this raging cold wave, blizzard, snow and ice storm.
Keep the rain and snow reports coming, and hang in there for a few more
weeks of winter.  Oh yes -- and Happy Groundhog Day!

Sincerely,

Nolan Doesken
Colorado State University

P.S. Called home this evening.  The animals are hanging in there against
the cold.  Our chickens are tough, but they've shut down egg laying
again for a few days.  The horses can't wait until there is fresh green
grass again -- the old hay is getting a little stale.




--------------010907000005000001020009
Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
   <head>
     <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;
       charset=ISO-8859-1">
   </head>
   <body text="#000000" bgcolor="#ffffff">
     Dear CoCoRaHS Friends,<br>
     <br>
     Greetings past, present and future rain/snow/hail gaugers.  If you
     are new to CoCoRaHS and need some help getting started, just let us
     know.<br>
     <br>
     As this arctic surge and developing winter storm grip so much of the
     country, I just wanted to send words of CoCoRaHS thanks and
     encouragement.  The number of daily precipitation reports have been
     dropping off of late.  Many of us may be growing weary of winter or
     are just plain having trouble measuring the icy snow that has been
     piling up in some areas.  <br>
     <br>
     Don't give up and please know that: <br>
     <br>
     1)  Your precipitation reports are really, really important and are
     being used every day by weather, water, agricultural and educational
     professionals across the country <br>
     <br>
     2)   This <i>might</i> be the last severe cold blast of the
winter 
     -- so hold on. You can make it!<br>
     <br>
     3)  The days are getting longer and in a couple more weeks the
     increased day length and warmer temperatures will become obvious. 
     (There are a few exceptions such as near the Great Lakes where
     pre-spring warm up usually lags by a few weeks)<br>
     <br>
     4)  But don't forget that old adage . . . . "As the days grow
     longer, the storms grow stronger" since that is often the case as we
     move towards spring.<br>
     <br>
     5) We are rapidly approaching severe storm season -- starting first
     in the South and then shifting northward into the Central Plains and
     Mississippi Valley as we head toward March, April and May.  Take the
     appropriate precautions to be ready.  Your National Weather Service
     office may be holding severe weather spotter training sessions in
     your area, so check their website for dates and locations.<br>
     <br>
     6)  As the sun gets higher in the sky and the temperatures warm,
     then the risk of drought impacts will also be increasing for those
     of you in areas that have been missing the recent storms.  In the
     event that drought creeps into your area, please let us know by
     filing a "Drought Impact Report"<br>
     <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=droughtimpactreports">http://www\
.cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=droughtimpactreports</a><br>
     <br>
     So keep on reporting your measurements -- if it's appropriate.  And
     get ready to start again once winter weather passes, if you've been
     staying warm, dry and safe inside this winter.  Remember that
     "Significant Weather Reports' are welcome any hour of the day if you
     are experiencing heavy rain, heavy snow or anything else you think
     your local weather experts should know about.<br>
     <br>
     <br>
     Seattle, Greeley, Denver, Nashville <br>
     <br>
     My job as climatologist for Colorado has carried me to several
     cities in the last 10 days.  Each was a totally different meeting
     (American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting, Colorado Farm Show,
     Colorado Water Congress, National Association of Conservation
     Districts).  Yet, at each and every meeting I ran into enthusiastic
     CoCoRaHS volunteers.  There was even a Virginia volunteer at the
     Colorado Farm Show, and there were Wyoming and New York volunteers
     here at the National Association of Conservation Districts in
     Nashville.  <br>
     <br>
     I can't tell you what a warm and wonderful feeling it is to find
     fellow faithful CoCoRaHS participants all across the country.  It's
     like finding an old friend.  By being here in Tennessee this week I
     am missing the -10F temperatures back home in Colorado.  Instead
     I'll get to see winter rain, hear some thunder, and feel a Tennessee
     cold front rip through on Tuesday night.<br>
     <br>
        <br>
     Snow Water Equivalent (SWE)  -- a huge thanks.<br>
     <br>
     Our rain gauges are great for rain and modest snows, but they aren't
     the best for measuring the water content of deep snow. 
     Nevertheless, I was amazed that over 1000 of us measured and
     reported the SWE (water content of the snowpack on the ground) when
     we started our SWE Monday campaign a few weeks ago.  That was
     awesome! Thank you so much.  We are looking for tougher tubes and
     affordable scales that might make this measurement easier.  The
     National Weather Service sent us a design to use automotive tail
     pipes to take measurements of snow water equivalent.  I will share
     that with you soon when I get back home.<br>
     <br>
     <br>
     The 2010 Water Year Summary<br>
     <br>
     I've been heading in so many directions that I failed to tell you
     that Zack completed a comprehensive summary of the 2010 water year
     across the country and has posted this on our website.  Here's a
     link to it.    <br>
     <br>
     <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
      
href="http://www.cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=dataanalysis">http://www.cocorah\
s.org/Content.aspx?page=dataanalysis</a><br>
     <br>
     The driest parts of the country had less than 5" of total
     precipitation for the year while a few of you measured over 100" for
     the year.  Snow totals ranged from zero to over 500" for the
year. 
     Take a look.  These data are fascinating.  Next year, we'll have
     even more complete data to work with so the report will be even
     better.<br>
     <br>
     <br>
     Facebook and Twitter<br>
     <br>
     In case you haven't noticed, popular demand and knocking opportunity
     got the best of us.  CoCoRaHS is blogging,  booking and
twittering. 
     If this is something you want to participate in, just go to the
     homepage at <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
       href="http://www.cocorahs.org">www.cocorahs.org</a> and you will
     see the appropriate symbols to click on.<br>
     <br>
     <br>
     The CoCoRaHS Rain Gauge Photo Calendar<br>
     <br>
     Yes, we are having a sale.  $7.75 each plus shipping until they are
     gone.  There will never be another CoCoRaHS calendar quite like this
     one, so please pick up a couple.  Thanks for making this shared
     effort a success.<br>
     <br>
     <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
      
href="http://www.weatheryourway.com/cocorahs/cal2011coco.htm">http://www.weather\
yourway.com/cocorahs/cal2011coco.htm</a><br>
     <br>
     <br>
     Conclusion<br>
     <br>
     Be careful during this raging cold wave, blizzard, snow and ice
     storm.  Keep the rain and snow reports coming, and hang in there for
     a few more weeks of winter.  Oh yes -- and Happy Groundhog Day! 
<br>
     <br>
     Sincerely,<br>
     <br>
     Nolan Doesken<br>
     Colorado State University<br>
     <br>
     P.S. Called home this evening.  The animals are hanging in there
     against the cold.  Our chickens are tough, but they've shut down egg
     laying again for a few days.  The horses can't wait until there is
     fresh green grass again -- the old hay is getting a little stale.<br>
     <br>
     <br>
     <br>
   </body>
</html>

--------------010907000005000001020009--

Please remove all my info from your database, I WILL NOT have ANYTHING to do
with FaceBook, it is the most insecure thing out there as far as privacy goes
!!!!!
I will no longer be turning in any reports.

thank you
doyle wilcox....MS-11  Mason Co. WA
wb7oxj@...

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Greetings and good morning,

Perhaps this will be my last message of this winter season focused on
snow and ice.  That should please many of you  :-).  Those of you in
southern climates may be able to sit back and skip over this one  -- but
then again, if I'm not mistaken, haven't we had snow in southern New
Mexico and ice as far south as Brownsville, TX this week?

_
Dealing with the challenges of snow and ice_

I have been bombarded this week by e-mails from volunteers in many parts
of the country as they confront  the difficulties of winter
precipitation measurements.  The storms this week have included frigid
temperatures, widespread blizzard conditions of extreme severity,.and
large areas of freezing drizzle, freezing rain, sleet and various
combinations of mixed precipitation.  Snow and ice in southern New
England is so deep and moisture-laden that some buildings have been
collapsing under the extreme weight.  These are the most difficult
situations we will meet up with as CoCoRaHS volunteers.   But they are
likewise situations where our data are of particular value.   Other than
the National Weather Service's Cooperative Weather Observing Network
that a few of us are already a part of

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ohx/?n=cooperativeobserverprogram

and a few airports across the country staffed with weather observers,
there are surprisingly few other sources of point measurements of snow
and ice.

Our CoCoRaHS precipitation reports this week have appeared on TV, in
many newspapers, in on-line news stories and in countless National
Weather Service summary reports as our volunteer efforts supplement the
official weather observing networks of our country.  Your efforts are
GREATLY APPRECIATED.

I applaud all of you who braved this winter onslaught to report your
precipitation.  I also applaud those of us who have had the commons
sense to stay indoors and wait until spring for returning to the
pleasant routine of daily weather observations in warmer weather.
Afterall, this is a volunteer effort, and many of us are not as young,
agile and resilient as we once were.  Traipsing out to in the ice and
snow on cold winter mornings to take measurements can be hazardous
especially in weather like we've had this week.   There is no reason to
risk getting stuck, breaking a hip or such just to measure some snow or
freezing rain.  Be wise.


Snow measurement questions

Rather than trying to answer each individual e-mail that I received this
week, I thought I would group the questions into a few categories and
try to cover this for everyone who might be interested.  Read the parts
that apply to you and skip over the rest or come back to it when you
need to.   I wish there was a way to make this brief and easy.  After
all, measuring rain is a piece of cake.  But snow and ice require more
time, thought, care, and good judgment.  So here we go


Freezing rain/glaze

The challenge of glaze from freezing rain is 1) it's remarkably
slippery  2) it makes it difficult to remove your gauge from its
mounting bracket, 3) it often is accompanied by other forms of
precipitation, and 4) it takes a long time to melt.  The glaze from
freezing rain accumulates both on the outside and the inside of your gauge.

When it comes to freezing rain, the measurements that we are most
interested in are  1) the total amount of water content in the gauge --
just your regular daily precipitation amount  and 2)  the ice accretion
that has accumulated on wires, branches, etc.  This is the average
"radial thickness" of the accumulated ice.   We don't have a special
form yet to submit this extremely useful observation  but we hope you
enter this in your "Comments" (see instructions for ice accretion under
"Training Slide Shows" )  The U.S. Forest Service, state forest
services, arborists, electric utilities, airport operations and many
other groups are extremely interested in getting good data on the
accumulation of ice from freezing rain.  We are hoping to have a better
way to enter and view ice accretion by next winter.  Some professional
organizations may help make this possible.

To measure the water content, just melt and measure what's in the gauge
making sure to include any ice frozen to the inside sides of the gauge
(and making sure that any ice on the outside of the gauge is not
included.  Many have told me they have avoided the problem of the gauge
freezing and sticking in the mounting bracket by applying a layer of non
stick vegetable oil.  Others have had good luck by taking out a pitcher
of warm water to thaw out the bracket.  My approach, but we get very
little freezing rain here, is to remove the gauge from the bracket prior
to an icing event so it is easier to retrieve.  If there is a very thick
layer of ice, do the best you can.  We've had a few people break their
gauge trying to pry it free from thick layers of glaze  -- so don't get
too carried away.


Blizzard conditions and uneven snow conditions

Yes, we always try to measure as accurately as we can -- precipitation
amounts to the nearest 0.01" , snowfall to the nearest 0.1" and total
depth (old plus new snow) to the nearest half or whole inch.  But when
the blizzard comes, as it did this week from OK to MO, IA, IL, IN, WI
and MI ,then throw that out the window and just do the best you can.

The simple fact is that wind-driven snow is not inclined to land in our
gauges or accumulate politely on our favorite snow measurement areas.
The gauge may be nearly empty and there may be areas of bare ground
showing while nearby are drifts 3-6 feet tall.  In fact, in blizzard
conditions we may have to disregard what lands in our gauge and revert,
instead, to finding  -- to the best of our reasoning abilities -- a
"representative location" where the accumulation of  new snow seems to
be about the average.  There you can report the average depth and  take
a core sample of the snow, measure the water content and then ponder,
before you send in your report, if that reading seems reasonable.

You may think that us "professionals" know how to handle all situations
with grace and precision, but the fact is that coming up with
measurements from true blizzard storms -- such as the 20.2" total
reported at Chicago O'Hare earlier this week (3rd largest single storm
in recorded history), is often a combination of measurement (usually an
average from several locations), experience (comparing to past storms
you have measured)  and judgment.  In other words, there are situations
where a good guess is probably closer to the truth than any one
particular measurement you can make.

There is no magic formula for how you determine how much snow fell and
what its water content was.  You just assess as best you can.  I assure
you, you can tell the difference between a 1" snow, a 6" snow and a 12"
snow, even in blizzard conditions.  So start crudely and then narrow it
down to a better estimate.  If you're in an open wind-swept area,
chances are you will report less than if you are in a very protected
area where the snow builds up.  In fact, in both the recent Chicago
storm and the one that hit New York City the day after Christmas, the
deepest snows were measured in very densely populated neighborhoods.
Because of the very strong winds with these storms, snow was blown from
the many roofs and streets and deposited in the small yards.  The
backyard measurements may have been somewhat enhanced by the roof-blown
snow.

So don't give up on these storms.  No, your "measurement" may not be
perfect, but no one's will be.  Just do your best, be reasonable, and be
consistent.  Then check with what you see from neighboring stations.
Chances are you will be in the right ball park.  And the more
measurements there are in any given area, the more confident we become.
People think we're crazy when we say we are hoping to achieve at least
one volunteer per square mile in populated areas  -- but when we have
that concentration of observations we learn a whole lot.


Dealing with deep snow and ice taller than my gauge or too dense to
penetrate

My hat is off to all of you who have been and continue to measure and
report the water content of the total accumulation of snow on the
ground.  We certainly don't expect everyone to take the SWE measurement
but this is information that is hard to come by and of much utility.
The water content from deep snow may fuel the next big flood or it may
weigh down roofs and buildings to the point of damage or collapse.

There is a lot of snow now in many parts of the country including
widespread areas of New England right to the coast with close to 2 feet
of dense snow.  This snow may have several inches of water content.
Just to give you an idea, if you happen to have three inches of water
content in the snow that is perched on the roof of your house, that
works out to over 15 pounds per square foot.  Add up the square feet of
your roof and all of a sudden you're talking about a lot of weight.

Our equipment is not well suited to getting quick measurements of the
water content of deep or icy snow. The outer cylinder of our gauge is
only 12" tall, which makes it hard to get a core sample from deep snow.
Furthermore, some of your snow has ice layers and is so dense that you
nearly crack the gauge trying to get a core sample.  Thanks for trying,
that's for sure.

Here are a couple of suggestions we've received to try to make this
important measurement feasible. If you have others, please let me know.
There are a lot of practical and ingenious folks out there.

Hi Nolan,
                                      You mentioned that our observers
are having a problem measuring snow depth to get the water content.  I
beleive the problem is that the outer tube is too small to measure the
deep snow that some people have.   Trying to push the plastic tube thru
deep encrusted snow may damage the tube.
       This what I did to solve this problem.  I took #2 cans, the kind
you get friut cocktail or tomatoes in, and cut the tops and bottoms
off.  Then I taped them all together with metal tape that you can find
in most hardware stores.  Leave bottom on the last can. you can add as
many cans as you think you need.
My can measuring tube is 22" long, and it cuts thru snow and crust
easy.  IT IS THE SAME SIZE DIAMETER AS OUR PLASTIC GUAGES (so I can then
melt the snow and pour it into the calibrated inner cylinder to get the
final measurement)
                                                               Hope this
suggestion may help.
                                                                                                                       
Bob
                                                                                                                       
Tilton, N.H.

Nolan -

OK, we found the report for the muffler snow tube - looks like a great idea for
getting through ice, but the equipment includes the 2.5"-diameter plastic tube
that NWS co-ops have, and a little help from the muffler shop and their
equipment.

The basic idea is that a length of muffler tube, 2.5" in OUTSIDE diameter, is
flared at the bottom to make the INSIDE diamter 2.5" (this is the muffler shop
equipment). Then teeth are notched with a jigsaw and metal-cutting blade. The
NWS plastic gauge is stuck on the other end (non-flared) and the sample is
dumped into the rain gauge and measured.

So, for folks to do this without the plastic rain gauge is definitely possible,
but we'd have to supply them with "easy math" (i.e. a simple conversion factor)
to calculate the water by volume or weight.

If you're interested in more information about this, here's the link:

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mqt/?n=swe_muffler_pipe.php

Again, let me know if I can help!


Moisture stuck on the side of the gauge

Our motto is "every drop counts" but many of you have noticed that quite
a few drops stick to the side of the large outer cylinder when the
funnel and inner tube are removed for winter weather operations.  When
you do your observation, make sure that all snow and ice stuck on the
sides of the gauge are dealt with.  any snow and ice on the outside of
the cylinder should be wiped off and anything inside should be included
in your measurement.  As much as about 0.01" can stick to the inside of
the cylinder even after you pour the contents into the inner cylinder
for measurement.  When the gauges are very new, very little moisture
sticks to the side, but older or dirtier gauges retain more.  If you
note a lot of water left on the inside of the gauge, consider rounding
your measurement up by 0.01"  But considering the other uncertainties of
the measurement, you probably don't need to worry about it


Are there affordable scales for measuring precipitation by weight?

Many of us have learned that it is much quicker and easier to measure
precipitation by weight rather than the cumbersome process of melting
snow and pouring it into the inner cylinder for measurement.  This is
especially helpful when measuring the snow water equivalent (SWE) of a
deep or icy snowpack.  To measure to the nearest 0.01", you need a scale
that can measure to the nearest gram.  For our 4-inch diameter gauges,
each 0.01" of precipitation weighs very close to 2 grams.  Scales this
accurate tend to be somewhat expensive.  The one I used in the training
slide show came from university laboratory and costs several hundred
dollars.  But some of you have found good scales in the range of $25-100
that appear to do the job.  I wish I could help more with this, but if
we get better suggestions I will try to pass on the information.


Rapidly accumulating but rapidly settling low-density snowfalls

While some of us have had ice and dense wet snows, others have had
generous amounts of fluffy, low density snow.  This type of snow
provides its own challenges.  Some of the "lake effect" snow that is
common around the Great Lakes and in some other areas can be amazingly
fluffy with water content of 5% or less (i.e.  1 inch of snow may
contain 0.05" of water or less).  We've had quite a few reports this
winter of snow with only 1-2% water content  -- now that's fluff!
Without even measuring, it's easy to tell low density snow from denser
snow just by walking through it, sweeping or shoveling.  The main thing
to think about when measuring is to remember the definition of
"snowfall".  Snowfall refers to the accumulation of new snow since the
previous observation.  Ideally, it is the maximum accumulation of new
snow -- prior to melting or settling -- that occurs within your 24-hour
observing period.  You can stick your ruler in the snow as often as you
wish during the day to see how much has accumulated. It is OK to measure
and then clear your snow board  (if you have one) up to four times a day
at 6-hour intervals -- which is what our long-term airport weather
stations did for many years.   But to be considered a valid measurement
please don' clear your measurement surface and sum the increments for
periods of less than 6 hours.  It is best, for measurement consistency,
to only clear the measurement surface once a day at your regular morning
observing time.


Questions about the "Time of observation" and time of submitting your report

There have been many questions about observation time.  Do you wait
until the snow is over or do you try to report at 7 AM (or your normal
scheduled time of your daily observation)?

Our preference is that you go ahead and do your regular daily
measurement even if it is still snowing or raining at the time.  That
way it is possible for us and the myriad of users of your data to have
daily reports to compare from as many locations as possible.  If you
usually measure at 7 AM but don't get to it until 8:15 due to the cold
and snow, then just make sure you type in "8:15" as your time of
observation so we know when you really took the measurements.  In order
for your daily measurements to show up on our precipitation, snowfall
and snow depth maps, your observation time that you enter needs to be
between 4:30 AM and 9:30 AM.  It is OK to measure earlier or later if
that fits your schedule, but we don't map the data if it's more than
about 2 hours off from 7 AM just for issues of consistency..

If it is raining or snowing very hard at 7 AM (or your normal daily
observation time) there is some risk that you may miss some
precipitation while you're taking the measurement.  For this reason, it
is really helpful and convenient to have a second outer cylinder so you
can set one out while you bring in the other.  This allows a more
relaxed and less hurried observation.

We also encourage reports of significant weather any time of the day
using the "Significant Weather Report" entry form.  We may have set a
CoCoRaHS record on Feb 1 with 225 Significant Weather reports.  These
reports are a huge help to NWS forecasters, emergency managers, etc.

Many of us are rushed in the morning as we try to get to work or to
school on time.  We realize it is not always possible to get on the
computer and send in your report as soon as you finish the observation.
We get many questions about this.  It turns out that it is fine and
acceptable to send in your report later in the day if that works best
for you.  Many of the groups using CoCoRaHS data are grabbing and
exporting the data reports in the window of 7 - 10 AM.  The sooner you
report, the more your data will be used.  But for our climatological
uses (weekly totals, monthly, seasonal and annual totals, etc) it
doesn't matter nearly as much.  Quite frankly, report when you have time
and we will appreciate your data a lot.


Why do so many false "Zero" reports show up on the CoCoRaHS maps after
snow storms?

I'm not sure how to answer this.  For some reason some of us -- probably
by accident -- send in reports of 0.00" precipitation, snowfall and/or
total depth of snow on the ground even when there is snow.  All I can
say is please check your reports and make sure you didn't accidently
type in 0.00 when you shouldn't have.  We have a great team helping keep
an eye on our data reports each day to spot and then help correct
errors.  But the best check is your own check.  Before you push that
"Submit" button, always review your entry.  Also, remember that there is
a View/Edit option after you submit your report so you can always go
back and easily fix a mistake.


What training resources does CoCoRaHS have?

Again, as stated several times this winter, we encourage you to view our
training materials.   We have several forms of training materials on our
website -- some training slide shows, some traditional narrative
instructions and even some videos.  Most of these can be found under
"Training Slide Shows" and "Things to know about rain, hail and snow"
http://www.cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=snow There are also quite a
few U-tube videos now.  Some are excellent.  Over the course of the next
year, we'll hopefully have additional choices to make snow measurement
training easier.


While I was gone

While I was at the National meeting of Conservation Districts in
Tennessee last week (hopefully introducing many people from all parts of
the country to CoCoRaHS), I managed to miss out on our coldest weather
here in Fort Collins in several years.  We got down to -20F at our house
Tuesday AM.  By the time I got home Wednesday night it had warmed to -5F
and it's been warmer since then.  Kathy (my wife) has not been amused by
the timing of my travels.  As those of you who have farms and animals
know, life gets harder when temperatures get colder.  Somewhere around
-10 things start getting really challenging as all of you ranchers who
are already in your calving season know..  I came home to discover that
Kathy had dealt with the challenge by moving our chickens from their
uninsulated unheated chicken coop into our unfinished basement. They
were caged -- but still it's a bit odd to find chickens in the house.
Fortunately, the horses were still in the barn.  And the Great Pyrenees
seemed largely unimpressed.


Thanks for sticking with CoCoRaHS.  Winter will be losing its grip soon
enough.  So hang in there.

Best regards,

Nolan Doesken
Colorado State University

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     Greetings and good morning,<br>
     <br>
     Perhaps this will be my last message of this winter season focused
     on snow and ice.  That should please many of you  :-).  Those
of you
     in southern climates may be able to sit back and skip over this one 
     -- but then again, if I'm not mistaken, haven't we had snow in
     southern New Mexico and ice as far south as Brownsville, TX this
     week?<br>
     <br>
     <u><br>
       <font color="#663366">Dealing with the challenges of snow and
ice</font></u><br>
     <br>
     I have been bombarded this week by e-mails from volunteers in many
     parts of the country as they confront  the difficulties of winter
     precipitation measurements.  The storms this week have included
     frigid temperatures, widespread blizzard conditions of extreme
     severity,.and large areas of freezing drizzle, freezing rain, sleet
     and various combinations of mixed precipitation.  Snow and ice in
     southern New England is so deep and moisture-laden that some
     buildings have been collapsing under the extreme weight.  These are
     the most difficult situations we will meet up with as CoCoRaHS
     volunteers.   But they are likewise situations where our data are of
     particular value.   Other than the National Weather Service's
     Cooperative Weather Observing Network that a few of us are already a
     part of <br>
     <br>
     <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ohx/?n=cooperativeobserverprogram">http://www.srh.\
noaa.gov/ohx/?n=cooperativeobserverprogram</a><br>
     <br>
     and a few airports across the country staffed with weather
     observers, there are surprisingly few other sources of point
     measurements of snow and ice.  <br>
     <br>
     Our CoCoRaHS precipitation reports this week have appeared on TV, in
     many newspapers, in on-line news stories and in countless National
     Weather Service summary reports as our volunteer efforts supplement
     the official weather observing networks of our country.  Your
     efforts are GREATLY APPRECIATED.<br>
     <br>
     I applaud all of you who braved this winter onslaught to report your
     precipitation.  I also applaud those of us who have had the commons
     sense to stay indoors and wait until spring for returning to the
     pleasant routine of daily weather observations in warmer weather. 
     Afterall, this is a volunteer effort, and many of us are not as
     young, agile and resilient as we once were.  Traipsing out to in the
     ice and snow on cold winter mornings to take measurements can be
     hazardous especially in weather like we've had this week.   There
is
     no reason to risk getting stuck, breaking a hip or such just to
     measure some snow or freezing rain.  Be wise.<br>
     <br>
     <br>
     Snow measurement questions<br>
     <br>
     Rather than trying to answer each individual e-mail that I received
     this week, I thought I would group the questions into a few
     categories and try to cover this for everyone who might be
     interested.  Read the parts that apply to you and skip over the rest
     or come back to it when you need to.   I wish there was a way to
     make this brief and easy.  After all, measuring rain is a piece of
     cake.  But snow and ice require more time, thought, care, and good
     judgment.  So here we go<br>
     <br>
     <br>
     Freezing rain/glaze<br>
     <br>
     The challenge of glaze from freezing rain is 1) it's remarkably
     slippery  2) it makes it difficult to remove your gauge from its
     mounting bracket, 3) it often is accompanied by other forms of
     precipitation, and 4) it takes a long time to melt.  The glaze from
     freezing rain accumulates both on the outside and the inside of your
     gauge. <br>
     <br>
     When it comes to freezing rain, the measurements that we are most
     interested in are  1) the total amount of water content in the gauge
     -- just your regular daily precipitation amount  and 2)  the ice
     accretion that has accumulated on wires, branches, etc.  This is the
     average "radial thickness" of the accumulated ice.   We don't have a
     special form yet to submit this extremely useful observation  but we
     hope you enter this in your "Comments" (see instructions for ice
     accretion under "Training Slide Shows" )  The U.S. Forest Service,
     state forest services, arborists, electric utilities, airport
     operations and many other groups are extremely interested in getting
     good data on the accumulation of ice from freezing rain.  We are
     hoping to have a better way to enter and view ice accretion by next
     winter.  Some professional organizations may help make this
     possible.   <br>
     <br>
     To measure the water content, just melt and measure what's in the
     gauge making sure to include any ice frozen to the inside sides of
     the gauge (and making sure that any ice on the outside of the gauge
     is not included.  Many have told me they have avoided the problem of
     the gauge freezing and sticking in the mounting bracket by applying
     a layer of non stick vegetable oil.  Others have had good luck by
     taking out a pitcher of warm water to thaw out the bracket.  My
     approach, but we get very little freezing rain here, is to remove
     the gauge from the bracket prior to an icing event so it is easier
     to retrieve.  If there is a very thick layer of ice, do the best you
     can.  We've had a few people break their gauge trying to pry it free
     from thick layers of glaze  -- so don't get too carried away.<br>
     <br>
     <br>
     Blizzard conditions and uneven snow conditions<br>
     <br>
     Yes, we always try to measure as accurately as we can --
     precipitation amounts to the nearest 0.01" , snowfall to the nearest
     0.1" and total depth (old plus new snow) to the nearest half or
     whole inch.  But when the blizzard comes, as it did this week from
     OK to MO, IA, IL, IN, WI and MI ,then throw that out the window and
     just do the best you can.<br>
     <br>
     The simple fact is that wind-driven snow is not inclined to land in
     our gauges or accumulate politely on our favorite snow measurement
     areas.  The gauge may be nearly empty and there may be areas of bare
     ground showing while nearby are drifts 3-6 feet tall.  In fact, in
     blizzard conditions we may have to disregard what lands in our gauge
     and revert, instead, to finding  -- to the best of our reasoning
     abilities -- a "representative location" where the accumulation of 
     new snow seems to be about the average.  There you can report the
     average depth and  take a core sample of the snow, measure the water
     content and then ponder, before you send in your report, if that
     reading seems reasonable.<br>
     <br>
     You may think that us "professionals" know how to handle all
     situations with grace and precision, but the fact is that coming up
     with measurements from true blizzard storms -- such as the 20.2"
     total reported at Chicago O'Hare earlier this week (3rd largest
     single storm in recorded history), is often a combination of
     measurement (usually an average from several locations), experience
     (comparing to past storms you have measured)  and judgment.  In
     other words, there are situations where a good guess is probably
     closer to the truth than any one particular measurement you can
     make.   <br>
     <br>
     There is no magic formula for how you determine how much snow fell
     and what its water content was.  You just assess as best you can. 
I
     assure you, you can tell the difference between a 1" snow, a 6" snow
     and a 12" snow, even in blizzard conditions.  So start crudely and
     then narrow it down to a better estimate.  If you're in an open
     wind-swept area, chances are you will report less than if you are in
     a very protected area where the snow builds up.  In fact, in both
     the recent Chicago storm and the one that hit New York City the day
     after Christmas, the deepest snows were measured in very densely
     populated neighborhoods.   Because of the very strong winds with
     these storms, snow was blown from the many roofs and streets and
     deposited in the small yards.  The backyard measurements may have
     been somewhat enhanced by the roof-blown snow.<br>
     <br>
     So don't give up on these storms.  No, your "measurement" may not be
     perfect, but no one's will be.  Just do your best, be reasonable,
     and be consistent.  Then check with what you see from neighboring
     stations.  Chances are you will be in the right ball park.  And
the
     more measurements there are in any given area, the more confident we
     become.  People think we're crazy when we say we are hoping to
     achieve at least one volunteer per square mile in populated areas 
     -- but when we have that concentration of observations we learn a
     whole lot.<br>
     <br>
     <br>
     Dealing with deep snow and ice taller than my gauge or too dense to
     penetrate <br>
     <br>
     My hat is off to all of you who have been and continue to measure
     and report the water content of the total accumulation of snow on
     the ground.  We certainly don't expect everyone to take the SWE
     measurement but this is information that is hard to come by and of
     much utility.  The water content from deep snow may fuel the next
     big flood or it may weigh down roofs and buildings to the point of
     damage or collapse. <br>
     <br>
     There is a lot of snow now in many parts of the country including
     widespread areas of New England right to the coast with close to 2
     feet of dense snow.  This snow may have several inches of water
     content.  Just to give you an idea, if you happen to have three
     inches of water content in the snow that is perched on the roof of
     your house, that works out to over 15 pounds per square foot.  Add
     up the square feet of your roof and all of a sudden you're talking
     about a lot of weight.<br>
     <br>
     Our equipment is not well suited to getting quick measurements of
     the water content of deep or icy snow. The outer cylinder of our
     gauge is only 12" tall, which makes it hard to get a core sample
     from deep snow.  Furthermore, some of your snow has ice layers and
     is so dense that you nearly crack the gauge trying to get a core
     sample.  Thanks for trying, that's for sure.  <br>
     <br>
     Here are a couple of suggestions we've received to try to make this
     important measurement feasible. If you have others, please let me
     know.  There are a lot of practical and ingenious folks out there.<br>
     <font face="Arial" size="4"><br>
       Hi Nolan,</font>
     <div> </div>
     <div><font face="Arial"
size="4">            \
;             &\
nbsp;         
         You mentioned that our observers are having a problem measuring
         snow depth to get the water content.  I beleive the problem is
         that the outer tube is too small to measure the deep snow that
         some people have.   Trying to push the plastic tube thru deep
         encrusted snow may damage the tube.</font></div>
     <div> </div>
     <div><font face="Arial" size="4">     This what I did to
solve this
         problem.  I took #2 cans, the kind you get friut cocktail or
         tomatoes in, and cut the tops and bottoms off.  Then I taped
         them all together with metal tape that you can find in most
         hardware stores.  Leave bottom on the last can. you can add as
         many cans as you think you need.</font></div>
     <div><font face="Arial" size="4">My can measuring tube is 22" long,
         and it cuts thru snow and crust easy.  IT IS THE SAME SIZE
         DIAMETER AS OUR PLASTIC GUAGES (so I can then melt the snow and
         pour it into the calibrated inner cylinder to get the final
         measurement)<br>
       </font></div>
     <div> </div>
     <div><font face="Arial"
size="4">            \
;             &\
nbsp;            &nb\
sp;             \
;        
         Hope this suggestion may help.</font></div>
     <div> </div>
     <div><font face="Arial"
size="4">            \
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nbsp;            &nb\
sp;             \
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sp;             \
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nbsp;           
         Bob <br>
       </font></div>
     <div><font face="Arial"
size="4">            \
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nbsp;            &nb\
sp;             \
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sp;             \
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         Tilton, N.H.</font></div>
     <br>
     <pre wrap="">Nolan -

OK, we found the report for the muffler snow tube - looks like a great idea for
getting through ice, but the equipment includes the 2.5"-diameter plastic tube
that NWS co-ops have, and a little help from the muffler shop and their
equipment.

The basic idea is that a length of muffler tube, 2.5" in OUTSIDE diameter, is
flared at the bottom to make the INSIDE diamter 2.5" (this is the muffler shop
equipment). Then teeth are notched with a jigsaw and metal-cutting blade. The
NWS plastic gauge is stuck on the other end (non-flared) and the sample is
dumped into the rain gauge and measured.

So, for folks to do this without the plastic rain gauge is definitely possible,
but we'd have to supply them with "easy math" (i.e. a simple conversion factor)
to calculate the water by volume or weight.

If you're interested in more information about this, here's the link:

<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mqt/?n=swe_muffler_pipe.php">http://www.crh.noaa.g\
ov/mqt/?n=swe_muffler_pipe.php</a>

Again, let me know if I can help!

</pre>
     Moisture stuck on the side of the gauge<br>
     <br>
     Our motto is "every drop counts" but many of you have noticed that
     quite a few drops stick to the side of the large outer cylinder when
     the funnel and inner tube are removed for winter weather
     operations.  When you do your observation, make sure that all snow
     and ice stuck on the sides of the gauge are dealt with.  any snow
     and ice on the outside of the cylinder should be wiped off and
     anything inside should be included in your measurement.  As much as
     about 0.01" can stick to the inside of the cylinder even after you
     pour the contents into the inner cylinder for measurement.  When the
     gauges are very new, very little moisture sticks to the side, but
     older or dirtier gauges retain more.  If you note a lot of water
     left on the inside of the gauge, consider rounding your measurement
     up by 0.01"  But considering the other uncertainties of the
     measurement, you probably don't need to worry about it   <br>
     <br>
     <br>
     Are there affordable scales for measuring precipitation by weight?<br>
     <br>
     Many of us have learned that it is much quicker and easier to
     measure precipitation by weight rather than the cumbersome process
     of melting snow and pouring it into the inner cylinder for
     measurement.  This is especially helpful when measuring the snow
     water equivalent (SWE) of a deep or icy snowpack.  To measure to the
     nearest 0.01", you need a scale that can measure to the nearest
     gram.  For our 4-inch diameter gauges, each 0.01" of precipitation
     weighs very close to 2 grams.  Scales this accurate tend to be
     somewhat expensive.  The one I used in the training slide show came
     from university laboratory and costs several hundred dollars.  But
     some of you have found good scales in the range of $25-100 that
     appear to do the job.  I wish I could help more with this, but if we
     get better suggestions I will try to pass on the information.<br>
     <br>
     <br>
     Rapidly accumulating but rapidly settling low-density snowfalls<br>
     <br>
     While some of us have had ice and dense wet snows, others have had
     generous amounts of fluffy, low density snow.  This type of snow
     provides its own challenges.  Some of the "lake effect" snow that is
     common around the Great Lakes and in some other areas can be
     amazingly fluffy with water content of 5% or less (i.e.  1 inch of
     snow may contain 0.05" of water or less).  We've had quite a few
     reports this winter of snow with only 1-2% water content  -- now
     that's fluff!  Without even measuring, it's easy to tell low density
     snow from denser snow just by walking through it, sweeping or
     shoveling.  The main thing to think about when measuring is to
     remember the definition of "snowfall".  Snowfall refers to the
     accumulation of new snow since the previous observation.  Ideally,
     it is the maximum accumulation of new snow -- prior to melting or
     settling -- that occurs within your 24-hour observing period.  You
     can stick your ruler in the snow as often as you wish during the day
     to see how much has accumulated. It is OK to measure and then clear
     your snow board  (if you have one) up to four times a day at 6-hour
     intervals -- which is what our long-term airport weather stations
     did for many years.   But to be considered a valid measurement
     please don' clear your measurement surface and sum the increments
     for periods of less than 6 hours.  It is best, for measurement
     consistency, to only clear the measurement surface once a day at
     your regular morning observing time.<br>
     <br>
     <br>
     Questions about the "Time of observation" and time of submitting
     your report<br>
     <br>
     There have been many questions about observation time.  Do you wait
     until the snow is over or do you try to report at 7 AM (or your
     normal scheduled time of your daily observation)?   <br>
     <br>
     Our preference is that you go ahead and do your regular daily
     measurement even if it is still snowing or raining at the time. 
     That way it is possible for us and the myriad of users of your data
     to have daily reports to compare from as many locations as
     possible.  If you usually measure at 7 AM but don't get to it until
     8:15 due to the cold and snow, then just make sure you type in
     "8:15" as your time of observation so we know when you really took
     the measurements.  In order for your daily measurements to show up
     on our precipitation, snowfall and snow depth maps, your observation
     time that you enter needs to be between 4:30 AM and 9:30 AM.  It is
     OK to measure earlier or later if that fits your schedule, but we
     don't map the data if it's more than about 2 hours off from 7 AM
     just for issues of consistency..  <br>
     <br>
     If it is raining or snowing very hard at 7 AM (or your normal daily
     observation time) there is some risk that you may miss some
     precipitation while you're taking the measurement.  For this reason,
     it is really helpful and convenient to have a second outer cylinder
     so you can set one out while you bring in the other.  This allows a
     more relaxed and less hurried observation.<br>
     <br>
     We also encourage reports of significant weather any time of the day
     using the "Significant Weather Report" entry form.  We may have set
     a CoCoRaHS record on Feb 1 with 225 Significant Weather reports. 
     These reports are a huge help to NWS forecasters, emergency
     managers, etc.<br>
     <br>
     Many of us are rushed in the morning as we try to get to work or to
     school on time.  We realize it is not always possible to get on the
     computer and send in your report as soon as you finish the
     observation.  We get many questions about this.  It turns out that
     it is fine and acceptable to send in your report later in the day if
     that works best for you.  Many of the groups using CoCoRaHS data are
     grabbing and exporting the data reports in the window of 7 - 10 AM. 
     The sooner you report, the more your data will be used.  But for our
     climatological uses (weekly totals, monthly, seasonal and annual
     totals, etc) it doesn't matter nearly as much.  Quite frankly,
     report when you have time and we will appreciate your data a lot.<br>
     <br>
     <br>
     Why do so many false "Zero" reports show up on the CoCoRaHS maps
     after snow storms?<br>
     <br>
     I'm not sure how to answer this.  For some reason some of us --
     probably by accident -- send in reports of 0.00" precipitation,
     snowfall and/or total depth of snow on the ground even when there is
     snow.  All I can say is please check your reports and make sure you
     didn't accidently type in 0.00 when you shouldn't have.  We have a
     great team helping keep an eye on our data reports each day to spot
     and then help correct errors.  But the best check is your own
     check.  Before you push that "Submit" button, always review your
     entry.  Also, remember that there is a View/Edit option after you
     submit your report so you can always go back and easily fix a
     mistake.<br>
     <br>
     <br>
     What training resources does CoCoRaHS have?<br>
     <br>
     Again, as stated several times this winter, we encourage you to view
     our training materials.   We have several forms of training
     materials on our website -- some training slide shows, some
     traditional narrative instructions and even some videos.  Most of
     these can be found under "Training Slide Shows" and "Things to know
     about rain, hail and snow"  
     <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=snow">http://www.cocorahs.org/Co\
ntent.aspx?page=snow</a> There are also quite
     a few U-tube videos now.  Some are excellent.  Over the course of
     the next year, we'll hopefully have additional choices to make snow
     measurement training easier.<br>
     <br>
     <br>
     While I was gone<br>
     <br>
     While I was at the National meeting of Conservation Districts in
     Tennessee last week (hopefully introducing many people from all
     parts of the country to CoCoRaHS), I managed to miss out on our
     coldest weather here in Fort Collins in several years.  We got down
     to -20F at our house Tuesday AM.  By the time I got home Wednesday
     night it had warmed to -5F and it's been warmer since then.  Kathy
     (my wife) has not been amused by the timing of my travels.  As those
     of you who have farms and animals know, life gets harder when
     temperatures get colder.  Somewhere around -10 things start getting
     really challenging as all of you ranchers who are already in your
     calving season know..  I came home to discover that Kathy had dealt
     with the challenge by moving our chickens from their uninsulated
     unheated chicken coop into our unfinished basement. They were caged
     -- but still it's a bit odd to find chickens in the house. 
     Fortunately, the horses were still in the barn.  And the Great
     Pyrenees seemed largely unimpressed.<br>
     <br>
     <br>
     Thanks for sticking with CoCoRaHS.  Winter will be losing its grip
     soon enough.  So hang in there.<br>
     <br>
     Best regards,<br>
     <br>
     Nolan Doesken<br>
     Colorado State University<br>
   </body>
</html>

--------------060005010307070707090505--

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

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 precipitation measurers and ponderers:
   (sometimes affectionately known as "CoCoRaisins"


First, a warm welcome to everyone -- our rain gauge regulars and all of
you who are new to CoCoRaHS.  There has been a steady stream of new
recruits, especially the last couple days.  It must be the result of the
annual "March Madness" CoCoRaHS volunteer recruiting competition. In the
early going, Illinois and Kentucky are neck 'n neck in the competition
vying for the lead.

Lion or lamb

Many of you recall the old March adage "in like a lamb, out like a lion"
(or vice versa).  That folklore evolved to help remind us that spring
weather gets really, really topsy turvy.  So how did March present
itself this year.  There were a few local exceptions. but for much of
the country it arrived quite lamb like.  But look out.  Things will change.


Dust off your gauge -- it's that time.

It got up to a balmy +6 F in Williston, ND today.  Our son works up
there and seems to love it.  Their long winter continues with at least
another week of near zero weather ahead.  When he drove up yesterday, it
was +60 F when he left Colorado and -10 when he got to North Dakota.
Nice.  He doesn't mind the cold but he's looking forward to his first
Dakota "mud season".

As it continues to warm most places, you can think about putting your
funnel and inner tube back in the gauge.  This provides a quicker,
easier and more accurate rainfall measurement.  Of course, if snow is
forecast, bring the small tube and funnel back inside.

As winter has dragged on, the number of CoCoRaHS volunteers has been
fading a bit.  This is a good time to dust off and clean up your gauge
and get started again.  CoCoRaHS needs your help.


Oklahoma Extremes

Last time I wrote, a low temperature of -31F had been reported in
northeast Oklahoma (Nowata) in early February.  That number has since
been verified and is the new all-time record low for Oklahoma.
Interestingly, just seven days later that same weather station reached
+79F  -- a lovely 110 degree Oklahoma warm up.  As February drew to a
close, the temperature soared even higher reaching +90F in parts of OK.
How's that for some big changes.  Take that, San Diego.


Some reminders

Since many of us are new or are just getting started again, let's review
a few CoCoRaHS things.

Severe weather training

At this time of year, many National Weather Service offices are offering
training programs for people of all ages on how to detect and report
severe weather.  We highly recommend this training if you've never done
it before.  Go to http://www.weather.gov and click on your area and you
should be able to find a list of scheduled training classes.  Hopefully
one will be in or near your community.

CoCoRaHS reports.

Time of observation

Most of us chose 7 AM as the scheduled time for our daily observation.
That works great for the project.  The closer to 7 AM that you measure
and report, the better.  Our computer automatically fills in the
"Default" time of observation for you -- the time you selected when you
signed up.  But if you don't do your measurement until 8:15 or 9:30 AM
or whatever, remember to type in the actual time you read and emptied
the gauge.  Don't just leave the default value on the form.  On dry days
it doesn't matter, but when it's raining near then time of your daily
observation then it really matters just when you check and empty that
gauge.  So be sure to type in your actual observation time if different
from the default.

Total Snow Depth

This is a data field on our regular daily precipitation report form.  A
lot of you leave this field blank.  That's OK, but if you know there is
no snow on the ground, it's great if you type in zero for the total snow
depth.  The presence or absence of snow on the ground has big effects on
temperatures and other aspects.  So if you have some snow on the ground
-- with at least half the ground covered, then please take a reasonable
estimate of the average depth and report that amount.  A surprising
number of forecasters and other scientists really want to know how much
snow is left on the ground even if there hasn't been any new snow in
days -- especially this time of year.

Significant Weather Reports

These "supplemental" reports are really useful.  Regardless of the time
of day or night, if it's been pouring rain or snow, or doing anything
else that you think the National Weather Service should know about, then
please take a minute and send in a special "Significant Weather Report".
   By submitting a "Significant Weather Report" you immediately and
automatically notify the NWS weather forecasters on duty at your local
NWS office.

To submit a "Significant Weather Report" log into the CoCoRaHS data
entry website and then click "My Data".  Your normal "Daily
Precipitation " report form will appear. Instead click on "Significant
Weather" under the menu that appears to the upper left under "Enter my
new reports."  The "Significant Weather Report" form will appear.  Fill
it out as best you can.  You don't have to fill out every blank.  Then
hit "Submit"  Immediately your local National Weather Service forecast
office will receive that special report on their computers.

Hail reports

Likewise, there is a special report form for reporting hail. It's in the
same general area.

http://www.cocorahs.org/Admin/MyDataEntry/HailReport.aspx

If it is hailing or has just stopped hailing, please use this form to
report this information.  The data will appear on our "Hail" maps but
the reports will also be immediately forwarded to the appropriate NWS
office.

Drought Impact report

Same idea.  Use this form to report persisting dry conditions that are
beginning or continuing to have negative impacts in your area.

Zeros

Yes, this question comes up so often.  Do I need to report "zero" every
day that it doesn't rain?  The answer goes like this.  You are a
volunteer.  Only you know how much time you have to spare, so spare what
you want to.  But if you can, please report your zeros.  Without that
zero report, we'll never know for sure.  So if you can, please take the
extra few seconds to log on and click the "submit" button to send in
your zero report.  Also, remember the "Monthly Zeros" report to fill in
zeros a month at a time.  This tool also lets you view your daily
reports on a calendar page format.



Finally, report the  "Snow Water Equivalent" (SWE) measurements if you
can (remember SWE Mondays!!) especially in the mountains and across the
northern tier of states.  Put it all together and alas -- valuable and
much appreciated data.  Keep it up -- and if you've never started taking
precipitaton measurements, this would  be a great time with spring just
ahead.


The tiniest egg

Our hens have taken it easy this winter with hardly any egg laying for a
few weeks.  Then, just recently, the egg laying has begun again.
Friday -- when it was cold and snowy -- we had our first 3-egg day in
many weeks.  Now we're up to 4 or five.  We'll have a few eggs to sell
soon.  The odd thing about it was that first three-egg day, one egg was
huge, one was normal sized and one was only about the size of my
fingernail -- smaller than a robin's egg.  I've never seen our hens do
that before.

Two chicks and a Siamese

Somehow animals beget more animals.  We don't even have a rooster, and
yet we suddenly have baby chicks.  When you have an old farm with
animals near the city like we do, people somehow know about it.  A
friend of a friend couldn't resist the little peeps down at the feed
store a couple weeks ago and ended up taking two home. Two weeks later,
reality set in and they realized they wanted to take a trip and had no
place for chickens.  They pondered the situation  -- probably for only 5
seconds, and the next thing we know they are over for a friendly visit
-- and to drop off some chicks.  Then, the next day arrived and another
friend shows up to give us an old Siamese cat.  Again, someone with a
good idea just couldn't make it work and they ended up with an animal
they couldn't take care of.  So .. within hours, it was ours.  All very
interesting.

Enjoy March.  Measure well.

Nolan Doesken
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

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

----- Original Message ----- Why do I  keep getting this notice????????????
From: <cocorahs_wa@yahoogroups.com>
To: <cocorahs_wa@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2011 7:28 AM
Subject: [cocorahs_wa] File - NWS NATIONAL SEVERE WEATHER REPORTING HOTLINE



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


------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

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

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

----- Original Message -----
From: <cocorahs_wa@yahoogroups.com   Why do you send this to me every month
or more? I should think once a year would be sufficient.  Richard
To: <cocorahs_wa@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 17, 2011 7:33 AM
Subject: [cocorahs_wa] File - NWS NATIONAL SEVERE WEATHER REPORTING HOTLINE



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


------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

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

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

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

 

----- Original Message -----

From: <cocorahs_wa@yahoogroups.com>

To: <cocorahs_wa@yahoogroups.com>

Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2011 6:10 AM

Subject: [cocorahs_wa] File - NWS NATIONAL SEVERE WEATHER REPORTING HOTLINE

Why do you continue to send this every three months???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Dear CoCoRaHS participants, friends and family members.

Sorry it's been so long since I've written.

Memorial Day

I can tell by some of our conversations and some of your e-mail
addresses that we have many veterans on the CoCoRaHS team.  We even have
a few on active and reserve duty who are finding time for reporting
precipitation.  Thank you all very much for your service to our nation.
   Some of you got your very first taste of weather observing while
serving in the military.

We've lost a few of our WW2 veterans this past year but we still have
some left.  If you served in World War II and are still taking CoCoRaHS
rainfall measurements, please send me an e-mail so we can give you some
extra pats on the back.


New Recruits

A few hundred new CoCoRaHS recruits have signed up since the last time I
had a chance to write.  Welcome!  Each and every additional rain gauge
volunteer makes a difference since rainfall in our country is so
incredibly variable and since rainfall affects so many things --
agriculture, water supplies, transportation, business, recreation,
natural resources and so much more.

Your data reports will be appreciated.  If you haven't had the
opportunity yet to get your rain gauge installed, this would be a good
time.  If you need any help getting started, please let us know.


Floods and Drought are still about.

Some of you are wishing the rain would stop and others would do anything
just for a few rain clouds.  Nearly half of our Montana volunteers have
reported 6" or more of rain so far in May with a few reports over 10" (a
lot for eastern Montana).  Northern Wyoming has also been soaked.  And
guess what the forecast is for the rest of the weekend?   No wonder so
much of Montana is experiencing flood warnings and flood watches.  The
Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers and their tributaries will be huge for
weeks to come.

As of a few days ago we still had some CoCoRaHS volunteers with snow
left on the ground.  Two of our stations in CA, where snowfall had been
so great that it buried residential power lines, still had over 100" of
snow remaining on the ground earlier this week.  Here in Colorado we're
waiting for the warm weather to finally arrive and when it does later
this week -- look out.  We have huge amounts of snow left in our
mountains -- from 25 to as much as 90 inches of snow water equivalent
(SWE) still up on the slopes in the northern portion of our state --
much, much more than usual.  With the sun nearly overhead and the summer
solstice right around the corner, the snow will be melting fast (1-2" of
SWE per day when it gets warm) and the rivers surging.

Meanwhile just to our south the word of the day is still "drought" for
southern Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, Louisiana and parts of
other southern states.  I got an e-mail Friday from a faithful volunteer
near Deming, New Mexico.  Most places there have received less than
0.25" in the past 8 months.  If you've checked the CoCoRaHS "Drought
Impact Reports" there are some miserably dry conditions across these
regions.
http://www.cocorahs.org/ViewData/ListDroughtImpactReports.aspx


Your data are used every day, and I mean it.

No matter how many times I repeat this, I continuously get questions
about "who cares about and who uses the data from CoCoRaHS volunteers."
   It must be hard to fathom for some of you that backyard rain gauges
have a place of importance in national climate monitoring in the 21st
Century -- but it does.  Let me say it one more time.  Your rainfall
reports -- including your reports of zero precipitation -- are being
used EVERY DAY. Every morning many organizations ping our database at
least every hour to get all the latest reports as they come in.  When
you see forecasts of river stages and flood levels on the Missouri, the
Mississippi, the Ohio, the Colorado River or most anywhere else in the
country -- guess what data are helping the forecasters make these
forecasts?  Yes, timely CoCoRaHS data!  Your reports of hail or heavy
rain may trigger the NWS to issue severe thunderstorm or flash flood
warnings.  Your local water utility may be using CoCoRaHS data to assess
local water supplies and future water demand.  The US Department of
Agriculture is using CoCoRaHS reports to assess drought conditions
across the country.  We just learned this week that FEMA (Federal
Emergency Management Administration) has started including CoCoRaHS
winter snow reports in their determinations of snow-related disaster
declarations.

These are just a few of the uses.  Research, business, recreation -- you
name it.  Your CoCoRaHS precipitation measurements help tell an
important story.  We are not an "Official Federal observing network" but
our data are used because precipitation is important, it varies greatly
from place to place and we have a track record of proven accuracy.


Time for 10,000

We came close a year ago to having 10,000 rainfall reports (including
zeros) in one day.  This year I think we can do it.  We're currently
averaging more than 8500 reports per day and we're occasionally spiking
above 9000.

Let's shoot for 10,000 next week.   June 6-9 will be our "CoCoRaHS hits
10,000" challenge week.  This will mean that some of us who forget or
don't always get around to sending in our reports will need to step up
to the plate to help reach the goal.  Likewise, volunteers from AZ, TX,
CA and other areas where the rains may have quit for now will also have
to join in and report your zeros.  Together we can do it.  I'll send out
another reminder next week.


A few other reminders.

1)   Comments -- Whether it's just a clear day or if you've had some
wild weather, a few words in the "Comments" box really help.  For
example, if you've had heavy rain in the past day. let us know roughly
when it occurred and if it caused any trouble.  Your comments become a
part of an archive we can all use to keep track of weather history in
our different areas of the country  If you're not sure what to say, just
read a few comments that come each day.  With a few descriptive words,
we get a much clearer picture of what you are experiencing than we can
infer solely from the rainfall amount.

Here's an example from this morning from a volunteer in eastern Colorado.
"Lots of thunder and sharp lightning produced little moisture. Thunder
dog was trying out different hiding places but none worked- He could
still see the flashes and hear the noise.'

Here's an example from Montana earlier this past week.
"Creek was still over the banks. One of these days it will go down
enough to repair the road. Getting tired of walking 1/4 mile to get to
the Jeep"

2)  Your daily precipitation reports are the core mission of CoCoRaHS
but please remember to use the several other situational report options
that we offer.

"Significant Weather Reports"  You can send these at any time of day to
report heavy rain, heavy snow or other significant weather events or
rapid changes.

"Hail Reports"  CoCoRaHS is the only comprehensive hail data collection
system in the country.  Become familiar with the hail reporting form and
use it every time you have hail.  Check out the national hail maps from
this past week (May 20-26th are particularly interesting) and you'll see
how hail reports get used.

http://www.cocorahs.org/Maps/ViewMap.aspx?type=hail

And if it didn't rain . . . ??   We really appreciate it when you report
your 0.00" on days when it doesn't rain,  Local, state and national
rainfall mapping efforts all do better if our zero reports come
streaming in.  If you get behind sending in your zero's remember that
the "Monthly Zeros" entry form makes that easy -- just by clicking a
calendar.


Farm Report

We sure have appreciated the rain -- more than 4" this month.  After a
slow start, the pasture is looking good now.  Too busy to do much early
gardening this year, but we'll get going soon.  As for the animals,
things had settled down well for a few months.  A fox stares through our
fence to watch the chickens almost every day == hoping one will get
adventurous and try to fly out of the yard.  All the flying chickens are
already gone, so the fox is a little thin this year.  We had an
unfortunate goose mishap this week.  It is hard to fence irrigation
ditches and when the irrigation canal slowed down this week our
neighbor's long-legged dog could wade over to try to meet and play with
Lily (Our Australian shepherd).  While Lily couldn't get out of our
fence but she still managed to cheer Nala on to chase geese.  One
eventually succumbed to exhaustion after being playfully chased.  I'll
be doing more fence building to make sure that can't happen again.
There's always something.

Our lilac hedge is still in full bloom -- very late this year -- but
fragrant and lovely.  By the way, if you enjoy observing vegetation and
when things bud and bloom, I encourage you to visit the National
Phenology Network website.  http://www.usanpn.org/  They would
appreciate more volunteers to help in their mission.


Enjoy the Memorial Day weekend.  Our fog and drizzle has ended so time
to get outdoors.

Best wishes,

Nolan Doesken
Colorado State University

CoCoRaHS June greetings.

Summer weather has arrived or will arrive soon across the country. This
is the time to shoot for the goal of 10,000 CoCoRaHS daily precipitation
reports.  We typically get over 8000 reports each day.  Occasionally we
surpass 9,000, but we've never made it to 10,000.  It's about time!

If all of us who regularly check our rain gauges and report our data are
joined by a few who are just getting started or who haven't reported for
awhile, we should be able to reach 10,000 reports for the first time in
the history of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow network.

It looks like precipitation patterns across the country this week will
be spotty.  That may make it harder to get motivated.  But please don't
let that stop you.  Check your rain gauge each morning this week -- rain
or shine -- and then please send in your report via www.cocorahs.org
If there was no precipitation, please submit your report of 0.00".  I'm
guessing we may need as many as 7500 zero reports each day to make it --
but that's feasible.

If you have lost or forgotten your login information, you can look it up
yourself simply by clicking on Login at the top of the page. Then click
on "Find my login information" down below the username and password
boxes.  Our computer will promptly e-mail you your usernmane and
password.  If that doesn't work, then please contact me and we'll help.


Memorial Day thrill

We heard back from many Veterans after our Memorial Day message.  20
WWII vets replied to let me know that they are still active CoCoRaHS
volunteers.  Most who replied were in their mid or upper 80s, but we
have a handful in their 90s still taking rainfall measurements. Most
have chosen warm southern climes, but there were a couple who still live
in snowy places and still get out and measure snow. I am indeed humbled.
   A few years back we had a handful of CoCoRaHS volunteers who gained
their love of snow while training and serving in the 10th Mountain
Division.  But I didn't hear back from any of you this time around.

I also received a touching message from a CoCoRaHS volunteer who
happened to be a young German teenager in Berlin who experienced the
bombings from a different perspective and was there when WWII ended.
Thanks so much for writing and sharing your story and the journeys that
brought you here.

Veterans -- thanks again for your service and for choosing to volunteer
some of your time for CoCoRaHS at this stage of your long and
illustrious lives.


Apologies to the Northeast

Last week when I described the importance of CoCoRaHS rainfall reports
and how they are used for river forecasts and flood warnings, I failed
to mention another part of the country dealing with high water.  Not
only has there been major flooding this year on the Red River (of the
north) the Missouri, the Ohio and the Mississippi, and now many streams
that flow out of the Central and Northern Rocky Mountains, Cascades and
Sierra.  There has also been excessive snow melt, heavy spring
precipitation and high water in parts of the Northeast.  Lake Champlain
has experienced record shattering flooding.  Close to half of our
CoCoRaHS volunteers in Vermont received over 15" of precipitation for
April and May combined -- nearly 3 times the average.

So thanks for pointing out an important part of the country that I
forgot to mention.  Between the National Weather Service and the U.S.
Geological Survey, there are some fantastic websites available for
tracking stream flow and water levels across the country right up to the
minute.  Here's a website that I've been visiting to track both flooding
and drought across the country.

http://water.weather.gov/ahps/


Smokey haze.

I grew up in the Midwest (east central Illinois) where summer haze was
normal and the sun sometimes disappeared into the gray-orange humid haze
on hour or more before actual sunset.  Today our Colorado skies --
usually known for their clarity and deep blue color -- are hazy like
what I grew up with -- but for a much different reason. Smoke from the
huge wildfires in Arizona has clogged the sky all the way here in
northern Colorado and likely in many other areas as well.  Fortunately,
a few showers and thunderstorms have brought some temporary and local
relief from persistent heat and drought over small areas of New Mexico,
Arizona, W. Texas and SE Colorado, but we have a long way to go to put
this southern drought to an end.


One less

We are back down to two dogs.  Our old Great Pyrenees -- Argy -- just
couldn't make it any more.  He was nearing 12 years of age, and had been
a part of our lives for over 9 years.   He gave us one more winter than
we expected and appreciated the fact we had less than half our normal
snowfall.  But the sudden onset of summer heat this past week was too
much for him.  We'll miss his calm, steady presence.  He asked for very
little.  Now Lily and Angel will have to work out a new order.


Good week.

Thanks one more time for being a part of CoCoRaHS.  Hopefully a few days
from now we can celebrate reaching 10,000 daily reports.  Have a great
week and enjoy the weather -- whatever it may be in your part of the
country.

Sincerely,

Nolan Doesken
Colorado State University

Rain gauge team

Just a quick update.  As of 8:24 AM MDT today, we hit the 5000
precipitation reports for today -- the halfway point towards the goal of
10,000.  We have a chance but it will take a lot more reports from all
areas of the country.

Nationally it's a fairly dry day -- 1100 reports of measurable
precipitation so far, 250 traces  and not a single report of snow.  The
heaviest rainfall for the past 24 hours was 2.77" in Lincoln County, NC.
   That's actually a low number for national daily maximum at this time
of year.  Reno, NV -- with more than an inch of rain (unusual any time
of year there) scored in the top 20 heaviest rainfall reports for today.
   It's good to see some modest rainfall amounts from southern New Mexico
where it's been over 8 months since the last significant precipitation
event.

So keep those reports rolling in. (another 250 have arrived as I wrote
this message -- now up to 5259)  We can make it to 10,000 today and the
rest of this week.

Thanks for your help.  Let us know if you need any assistance to get
logged in.

Nolan Doesken
Colorado State University

Greetings.

Update

Here is an update on our quest to reach 10,000 daily rainfall (rain or
no rain) reports.  The weather hasn't cooperated.  June precipitation
has been relatively light and spread over some of the less populated
portions of the U.S. where we don't have large numbers of volunteers.
If we hope to reach 10,000 we will need many more "no rain" reports from
our volunteers in AZ, NM, TX, LA, FL and other drought stricken states
as well as the western, eastern, northern and central areas of he
country  where people are relieved to finally be having a break in the
stormy weather that pounded so many areas in April and May.

Here is where we stand.  So far, we have 8300 reports in for Monday,
June 6.  We only need another 1700 late reports to reach the goal.  From
past experience we'll see 800 more reports trickle in between now and
the end of the month, but I hope we can do better than that.  For
yesterday, we're not quite up to 7500 yet -- so we have a long way to go
yet.  Today we're doing well with more than 5900 reports so far --
considering that almost 5000 of those reports are the big ZERO.

By the way, some of you suggested that we add a counter where everyone
can see the number of reports for the day without having to run one of
the summary reports.  That's a great idea and we'll be adding the
counter to the main CoCoRaHS homepage in a few days.  It won't count
every one as they arrive, but will probably update every 2 or 3 minutes.


Reporting zeros -- why it helps so much

You're probably sick of hearing me talk about the importance of
reporting 0.00" when you've had no precipitation.  We totally understand
that the motivation may be very low to take the time to go online and
submit a report first thing in the morning when there has been no
precipitation in the past 24 hours.  But as we talk to the many
organizations that use CoCoRaHS data every day, we quickly see just how
important those zeros are.

Two weeks ago we met with representatives of several agencies that
routinely use CoCoRaHS data in combination with National Weather Service
Cooperative weather reports.  One after another told about the
importance of knowing that no precipitation had occurred.  In
particular, the NWS River Forecast Centers produce daily estimates
of "Mean aerial precipitation" (the average rainfall over each river
basin).  These estimates change a lot depending on if weather observers
report their 0.00" amounts or not -- so this affects the accuracy of
river level and flow forecasts.  Likewise, drought assessments and
disaster declarations are very dependent on having complete data
verifying the lack of precipitation.


What can we do to help?

Many of you have suggested that we offer a smart phone application as
well as text messaging options for submitting reports.  The smart-phone
application is essential and we'll be working to make that happen.
Thanks for all the encouragement and suggestions.


What can you do to help?

Simple -- just check your gauge and send in your report.  You are
probably already doing it, so we thank you SO MUCH for your enthusiastic
volunteer help.  Your small daily effort combined with thousands of
others from across the country marvelously paints a daily picture of
rainfall, snowfall and hail patterns across the country each day. We can
all watch it unfold each day on the national map on the CoCoRaHS website
        http://www.cocorahs.org
Every data point helps. For those of us who are in the CoCoRaHS habit,
it's quick, easy and rewarding.

But for many of us it's not so easy getting into the rain gauge habit,
especially during dry weather in the summer and cold weather during the
winter.  Furthermore, this is a volunteer program.  We want
you to enjoy the experience and learn from it without feeling burdened.

With that in mind, let me just say that we hope you give it a try.  You
can even start participating before you have a rain gauge set up.  You
can report your 0.00 (Zero) on dry days when there has been no
precipitation and see how easy it is.


Need help?

If you need some help getting started, we have volunteer leaders all
across the country that you can contact to ask questions.   Follow this
link to find the volunteer coordinator for your area.

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

Or just send a message to us at   info@...   We'll do our best
to help you get started.


The rest of the summer

Please enjoy the summer of 2011.  It's off to a miserably hot start for
some parts of the country.  It won't be long until tropical storms begin
to brew.  So far we have had very few individual rain gauge reports in
excess of 6" in 24 hours.  The chances are very high that before many
more weeks pass, we'll see some intense storms drop 10" or more.  It
could be your neighborhood.  Please be ready and send in
"Significant weather" as well as "hail" reports when appropriate in
addition to your regular daily rainfall report.


We'll be in touch.  Thanks for all of you who sent kind words of
sympathy and encouragement after the loss of our family dog Argy last
week.  That was really nice of you.


Nolan Doesken
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

Dear CoCoRaHS Rain Gaugers

Happy Anniversary CoCoRaHS

Thirteen years ago today, three local high school students in Fort
Collins, Colorado celebrated an impressive accomplishment.  Luke, Tom
and Daphne pulled off a small miracle.  After just 4 months of planning
and preparation, on June 17, 1998 the CoCoRaHS website was launched.  At
that time, CoCoRaHS stood for "Colorado Collaborative Rain and Hail
Study".  We never dreamed we would expand beyond Colorado, and we didn't
initially plan to include the measurement of snow because we knew that
would be a harder challenge for volunteers.

Of the three students, each from a different local high school, Luke
developed the initial website.  Tom figured out how to write computer
programs that could draw maps, and Daphne headed up the recruiting,
training and social activities for the first volunteers.  I still
remember her quote  "We need to have food" -- when I think back to our
early meetings and training programs.  She was right, of course.

On that first day, 6/17/1998, several dozen new volunteers submitted
rainfall reports.  The first "Larimer County, Colorado" precipitation
map appeared -- conveniently on a day with precipitation to report.
  From the very beginning, we saw amazing local variations in
precipitation.  That's the main reason we started CoCoRaHS and why we
continue today.  Many aspects of technology and communications have
changed since then, but the need for localized data for tracking
precipitation variability continues.

I missed that celebration 13 years ago.  Our family had left on vacation
to Upper Michigan with our young children -- 10 and 12 years old at the
time (my, how time flies).  But the young CoCoRaHS team tracked me down
by phone and shared their good news.  It was two weeks until I got to
see it myself and send in my first rain gauge observation.

Those were very exciting times indeed.  Thanks go out to the Colorado
Office of Emergency Management and the City of Fort Collins stormwater
utility that provided the initial funds and encouragement back in 1998.

Of the original group of several dozen rain gauge readers, more than 20
continue to observe and report today.  Some have hardly missed a day in
13 years (incredible, I'd say).  Back then, access to the internet was
limited and many of those first volunteers called in their reports by
phone.  13 years later, a few of those same observers still are calling
in.  Now that's commitment.

I hear from Daphne from time to time.  We heard that Tom was working on
a PhD somewhere near DC.  Luke was already well on his way to a
successful web development career already in high school, so hopefully
he's still doing well.   Wherever the three of you may be today, thanks
for what you did back then.

Let's all celebrate this 13th anniversary -- on a Friday, I might add --
by sending in our daily observation and admiring all the data coming in
from volunteers across the country.  Good job!


Did we reach our goal -- 10,000 reports?

The short answer is "No"  :-(    We made a strong effort during the June
6-9 campaign, but we fell short.  I held off telling you, hoping that
late reports would put us over the top.  A combination of having
hundreds of volunteers on vacation and a nationwide dry spell worked
against us.

As of today the count stands at 9082 for June 6th.  If you add in the
multiday reports, we're up to 9338.  That's really good, but just not
quite enough.  Reports are still trickling in, and by the end of the
month we'll probably have 200-400 additional reports -- but that's still
not enough.

Here is another interesting fact.  On June 8th, we had 8844 reports.
What's amazing about that is the fact that 7655 of those were zeros.
That's fantastic.

But here's the good news.  While we didn't hit 10,000 on any individual
day, over the 4-day challenge period more than 10,250 volunteers
submitted at least one report.  That number is still climbing.  If we
include Friday, June 10, that number climbs to over 10,600.
Interestingly, from April 22 through June 2, we have exceeded 9000 daily
reports on 16 separate days.  13 of those 16 occurrences took place on
days where nearly half of the country was experiencing measurable
precipitation.  That compares to only about 10-15% of the country each
day this past week.  Our maximum number of reports on a single day now
stands at 9619 on May 12, 2011 -- darn impressive.


Many of you have written asking for an update and how to see how many
reports have come in each day.  I use the "Rain Days Report" to get that
number. Thanks to your urging, we will begin displaying the number of
reports each day just above the national precipitation map on the
CoCoRaHS homepage  http://www/cocorahs.org
We are also going to start showing monthly reporting statistics so we
can all keep track together.  Thanks very much to all of you who wrote
with suggestions about this.


Two in Eight

It was another great evening for cloud watching here.  For the second
time in eight days we had a lightning show and some hail.  Severe
weather warnings were posted, but we ended up with just a few small
stones tonight, not enough to do damage.  But there are still parts of
town where gardens and trees are still beat up from last week's storm.
It is hail season here in Colorado.

Please remember, each time you see hail at your station take the extra
minute or two to login and submit a hail report.  That helps us a lot.

http://www.cocorahs.org/Admin/MyDataEntry/HailReport.aspx

With the storm tonight, we're now close to 2" of rain for this month on
top of the 4" plus last month.  The grass will stay green for another
week without having to water if temperatures continue below average.
That's what I like.  I know a bunch of our neighbors to the south would
pay good money about now for some green grass and cool breezes.


What is "The Catch"?

Those of you who sent in precipitation data this past week may have
noticed the "Message of the Day"  asking if you are getting "The Catch".
   In case you're wondering what in the world that is, each time I send
out an e-mail message to you like this, we keep a copy and make an
archive that anyone can access later.

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

Each of my letters sent out to CoCoRaHS volunteers is called "The
Catch".  This turns out to be a semitechnical term for "how much water
was caught in your rain gauge."   So if you are getting these occasional
e-mail messages from me, then indeed you are receiving "The Catch."


Time to call it a day.  Please enjoy the summer months ahead.  There is
sure to be some interesting weather ahead as hurricane season takes shape.

Best regards, and "Happy CoCoRaHS Anniversary"/

Nolan Doesken
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

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