Table of Contents
What are the devices used to measure the rainfall?
The standard instrument for the measurement of rainfall is the 203mm (8 inch) rain gauge. This is essentially a circular funnel with a diameter of 203mm which collects the rain into a graduated and calibrated cylinder. The measuring cylinder can record up to 25mm of precipitation.
How can you make sure that you measure the amount of rain accurately?
The most accurate way to measure rainfall is to take a rain bucket of a known diameter (usually 12 or 24 inches) and place it on a scale. The scale subtracts the mass of the container from the mass of the rain.
Why is measurement of rainfall required?
Weather forecasts are based on complex mathematical equations where the variables are determined through observations such as precipitation amount and intensity. So, precipitation measurement is important for weather forecasting. This is where we need other measuring instruments beyond rain gauges.
Can you measure rainfall in any container?
Find a clear, cylindrical container. It doesn’t actually matter how wide container is, so long as it’s the same diameter all the way through. Because of this, one inch of rainfall will be recorded consistently between cylinders of varying sizes.
How do you measure rainwater?
Making a Rain Gauge
- Cut the top section off a clear bottle as shown.
- Place several small rocks in the bottom (for weight), then fill the bottle with water to the 0 mark.
- Invert the top of the bottle into to rain gauge to act as a funnel.
- Wait for the next rain and observe and record rainfall amounts.
What is rainfall monitoring?
Reliable rainfall monitoring is key for any water system analysis and for operational water-system control. Traditionally rainfall is measured using rain gauges which are manually read or which automatically send real time data to a telemetry network using wired or wireless communication.
Can you use a 5 gallon bucket to measure rain?
5 gallons is about 2/3 of a cubic foot, and 2 inches is 1/6 of a foot. 2/3 cubic feet divided by 1/6 feet is 4 square feet, so 2 inches of rain falling over an area of 4 square feet is enough to fill a 5-gallon bucket. Click to see full answer.
How does a non recording rain gauge work?
Non-recording type rain gauges are the simple forms of rain gauges that essentially collect the rainfall but do not record the quantity of the collected rainfall. The non-recording rain gauge generally consists of a circular collecting area of about 12.7cm in diameter used for collecting the rainfall.
How are rain gauges used for climatic data?
Among these climatic data, the amount of precipitation, traditionally collected using rain gauges or weather stations, is a very important parameter, which has a direct impact on runoff or watershed discharge (Obled et al., 1994).
How is the amount and intensity of rainfall measured?
Rainfall measurement by radar is basically an integrated system for the rainfall measurement that makes use of microwave radar. In this method, the intensity and the amount of rainfall are measured by a rain gauge while the extent, location, and movement of rainfall are measured by the microwave radar.
How is rainfall measured in a storage tank?
At a scheduled time, the rain water collected in the storage tank can be measured to yield total rainfall in the measuring duration. The rainfall intensity (and also the total rainfall) can be estimated by studying the record sheet on which each mark indicates 0.25 mm of rain in the duration elapsed between the two adjacent marks.