Want to be a weather volunteer?

[Smiling JOe]

The CBA needs your help.

The Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) is sponsoring the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, better known as CoCoRaHS as they expand in Florida. As CBA starts to analyze data and look at trends, it would be helpful to have rainfall information for local areas. As you know, when it rains in Niceville, it is not always raining in Destin, and vice-versa.

To volunteer, you need to be willing to monitor a gauge daily that will be installed in your yard. You will submit your readings online, so you will need access to a computer with reliable internet connectivity. You will also need to purchase a specific piece of equipment which will cost (with shipping) $29.00. CBA will be willing to sponsor some volunteers who are interested in the program but unable to afford the expense. The Okaloosa and Walton Counties Coordinator William Pizzolato will assist in the installation of the gauge and the training necessary to record rainfall patterns.

Please review the Information below for more information about the project. If you have any questions, please contact either CBA at 850-729-6456 or Okaloosa and Walton Counties Coordinator William Pizzolato at 850-883-1190.

Lauren Nowling

Staff Assistant, Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance

100 College Blvd.

Niceville, FL 32578

850-729-6456

cba@owc.edu



WANTED – WEATHER OBSERVERS IN FLORIDA!
The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, better known as
CoCoRaHS, has recently expanded into Florida and is looking for citizen
volunteer weather observers here in the Sunshine State.

CoCoRaHS, based at Colorado State University and started in 1998, is a veryunique, non-profit, community based network of volunteer citizen weather observers of all agesand backgrounds working together to measure and report precipitation amounts (rain, hail and snow). By using low cost and self provided measurement tools and stressing training and education and utilizing an interactive website, the aim of CoCoRaHS is to provide the highest quality precipitation data for natural resource education as well as research applications, because, as we say “every drop counts”.

CoCoRaHS is already established in 22 states, with more states
joining each month- with Florida joining on October 1, 2007. This effort in Florida is especially important given the recent droughts and tropical storms/hurricanes that the state has experienced over the past few years.

You can become a volunteer by going to our website (www.cocorahs.org) and click on the “Join CoCoRaHS” emblem on the upper right side of the main website. We’ll start taking applications for Florida observers on September 24, 2007. Once you’re signed up, you can start reporting
daily precipitation and see your information displayed on the state map. If you have anyquestions, you can contact Melissa Griffin or Dr. Pat Welsh for more information.

Contact:
Melissa Griffin, Florida CoCoRaHS State Co-Coordinator
Email: griffin@coaps.fsu.edu
Phone: (850) 644-0719

Dr. Pat Welsh, Florida CoCoRaHS State Co-Coordinator
Email: pwelsh@unf.edu
Phone: (904) 620-2756

William Pizzolato, Okaloosa and Walton Counties, FL County Coordinator
Email: pizzolaw@owc.edu
Phone: (850) 883-1190

[NoHall]

On any given day, you're probably as accurate as a t.v. meteorologist...?

[florida girl]

If rock is wet it is raining.
If rock is white it is snowing.
If rock is shaking there is an earthquake.
If rock is dry, the weather is fair.
if rock is swinging, it's windy.
If rock is warm, the sun is out.
If rock is not visible, it's dark outside...or your eyes are closed.
If rock is under water, there is a flood.
If rock is gone there is a tornado (Run!!)