Free Weather Service Training Class for Snow Spotters Sept. 19
by National Weather Service
September 18, 2013
The National Weather Service in Riverton will conduct a free class for those interested in measuring and reporting snowfall and summer rainfall. The one-hour long training class will take place at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, September 19, at Tip Top Search and Rescue, 138 North Bridger Avenue, in Pinedale. Anyone with an interest in reporting snow and precipitation amounts year round is invited to attend.
The NWS is looking to significantly increase the number of people who report snowfall and rain totals in and around Pinedale and Sublette County. Trained observers will be asked to provide snowfall and precipitation reports in support of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, or CoCoRaHS. The NWS, state climatologist, and other governmental agencies utilize CoCoRaHS as a central location to obtain quality precipitation reports from trained volunteers.
The reports are used by meteorologists to make better weather forecasts and by other agencies to forecast snowmelt runoff and even air quality. "These volunteers provide highly reliable and accurate ground truth reports," said meteorologist Trevor LaVoie of the NWS Riverton office. "The observations enable us to be sure weather forecasts are on track and determine unique small-scale snowfall patterns."
The network, which originated at the Colorado Climate Center at Colorado State University, is now active in all 50 states and Canada with thousands of volunteer observers. These trained volunteers provide daily precipitation reports using an online reporting interface. For weather and spotter information visit the local National Weather Service website at www.weather.gov/riverton or call the Riverton office at 1-800-211-1448.
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