Reno, NV – Residents in California and Nevada are being asked to help track rain and snow from their own backyards, joining a nationwide network of citizen scientists.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS) and state climate offices, volunteers are needed to participate in the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow (CoCoRaHS) Network. The program fills data gaps across both states by collecting daily precipitation measurements from local observers.
Participation is simple: once a day, volunteers record how much rain or snow has fallen at their location. Officials say the task takes less than five minutes, but the information helps improve flood forecasting, drought monitoring, and long-term climate research.
Residents interested in joining can learn more at www.cocorahs.org. California volunteers may contact state climatologist Mike Anderson at 916-574-2830 or via email at Michael.L.Anderson@water.ca.gov. In Nevada, Baker Perry at the University of Nevada, Reno is the program contact, available at 775-682-6083 or bakerp@unr.edu.
The CoCoRaHS program began in 1998 and now includes thousands of volunteers across the United States. Organizers emphasize that no prior scientific experience is necessary—just a willingness to measure precipitation consistently.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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