Do you ever wonder how much rainfall you received from a recent thunderstorm? How about snowfall during a winter storm? If so, then a new volunteer weather observing program needs your help! The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow network, or CoCoRaHS, is looking for new volunteers across Eastern North Carolina. The grassroots effort is part of a growing national network of home-based and amateur rain spotters with a goal of providing a high density precipitation network that will supplement existing observations. CoCoRaHS came about as a result of a devastating flash flood that hit Fort Collins, Colo., in July, 1997. A local severe thunderstorm dumped over a foot of rain in several hours while other portions of the city had only modest rainfall. The ensuing flood caught many by surprise and caused $200 million in damages. CoCoRaHS was born in 1998 with the intent of doing a better job of mapping and reporting intense storms. As more volunteers participated, rain, hail, and snow maps were produced for every storm showing fascinating local patterns that were of great interest to scientists and the public. North Carolina became the 21st state to establish the CoCoRaHS program in 2007, and by 2010, the CoCoRaHS network had reached all 50 states with 8,000 to 10,000 observations being reported each day.  Through CoCoRaHS, thousands of volunteers, young and old, document the size, intensity, duration and patterns of rain, hail and snow by taking simple measurements in their own backyards. Volunteers may obtain an official rain gauge through the CoCoRaHS website (http://www.cocorahs.org ) for about $27 plus shipping. Besides the need for an official 4-inch plastic rain gauge, volunteers are required to take a simple training module online and use the CoCoRaHS website to submit their reports. Observations are immediately available on maps and reports for the public to view. The process takes only five minutes a day, but the impact to the community is tenfold. By providing high quality, accurate measurements, the observers are able to supplement existing networks and provide useful results to scientists, resource managers, decision makers, and other users. “North Carolina has the most complex climate in the eastern U.S.,” said Ryan Boyles, state climatologist and director of the State Climate Office, based at North Carolina State University.  “Data gathered from CoCoRaHS volunteers are very important in better understanding local weather and climate patterns.” “An additional benefit of the program to the National Weather Service is the ability to receive timely reports of significant weather (hail, intense rainfall, localized flooding) from CoCoRaHS observers that can assist forecasters in issuing and verifying warnings for severe thunderstorms,” says David Glenn, CoCoRaHS state coordinator and meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Newport/Morehead City. How does one become a CoCoRaHS observer?   Go to the CoCoRaHS website and click on the “Join CoCoRaHS” emblem on the upper right side of the main website.  After registering, take the simple online training, order your 4-inch rain gauge and start reporting! “We are in need of new observers across the entire state. We would like to emphasize rural locations and areas near the coast, especially on barrier islands,” added Glenn. FOR MORE INFORMATION To watch a short video on the CoCoRaHS program, go to http://youtu.be/M5-XXg9M30. 

March 19, 2012 | Local News

Do you ever wonder how much rainfall you received from a recent thunderstorm? How about snowfall during a winter storm? If so, then a new volunteer weather observing program needs your help! The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow network, or CoCoRaHS, is looking for new volunteers across Eastern North Carolina. The grassroots effort is […]

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NPS establishes pre-nesting areas for shorebird breeding season

March 15, 2012 | Local News

NPS establishes pre-nesting areas for shorebird breeding season The National Park Service has begun establishing its 2012 pre-nesting areas for shorebirds, as is required under the final off-road vehicle management plan and special regulation, which became effective on Feb. 15. Pre-nesting areas for piping plovers, American oystercatchers, and Wilson’s plovers were installed by March 15.  […]

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Coastal Land Trust and partners plan project to stop erosion at Springer’s Point

March 9, 2012 | Local News

The North Carolina Coastal Land Trust will begin work this spring on a natural shoreline restoration project, known as a “Living Shoreline,” at its popular nature preserve on Ocracoke Island. “Springer’s Point is an ecological and cultural gem for locals and visitors alike,” said Lee Leidy, attorney and Northeast Region Director of the North Carolina […]

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Restored skipjack donated to Ocracoke non-profit, Ocracoke Alive Inc.

March 9, 2012 | Local News

The skipjack Wilma Lee, a restored 47-foot, 20-ton, sloop-rigged, centerboard sailboat will soon become a new educational and cultural attraction on Ocracoke Island. The 70-year-old boat has been donated to the non-profit organization Ocracoke Alive Inc, which is dedicated to promoting arts and culture on the island. The skipjack Wilma Lee, a restored 47-foot, 20-ton, […]

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