Contact: Robbie Ward
STARKVILLE, Miss.--A Mississippi State-led organization is seeking to recruit additional--and much-needed--observers of rainfall throughout the state.
The Mississippi Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, referred to as CoCoRaHS, is taking part in a national recruiting effort called "March Madness." The goal: to sign up as many new observers as possible during the month.
The program is a joint effort of the National Weather Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the university's department of geosciences. The collected information is used by weather forecasters and researchers studying precipitation patterns.
"We would like to have at least four observers in each county in the state," Kathy Sherman-Morris said. "Currently, our biggest gaps are throughout North Mississippi, the Delta and a line of counties from Laurel to Natchez." (See attached illustration)
Sherman-Morris, state coordinator of CoCoRaHS and an MSU assistant professor of geosciences, said organizations in every state currently are working to add participants.
She said Mississippi currently has nearly 220 observers. The state joined the nonprofit program staffed by volunteers of all ages and backgrounds in August 2008, she added.
March typically is among the Magnolia State's wettest months, but it is also the most variable month for precipitation. For instance, more than 14 inches of rainfall was reported in March 1980, but less than an inch was reported in the state in 2007.
Sherman-Morris said volunteers may sign up at www.cocorahs.org. The Web site also provides a map of the rainfall reports.
Participants must purchase an official-type rain gauge and report their readings online, preferably at the same time each day.
State climatologist Charlie Wax, an MSU geosciences professor and co-coordinator of the state's CoCoRaHS program, said the significant variations in Mississippi's March rainfall amounts makes "critical" a need for additional volunteers.
"Getting good measurements from all over the state during times of such excessive and variable rain events is essential, and another good reason to join," Wax said.
For more on the program, contact Sherman-Morris at 662-325-4243 or kms5@geosci.msstate.edu.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.