Rain monitors wanted

The State Climatology Office is looking for volunteer rainfall monitors for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network. The network includes more than 20,000 volunteers nationwide who measure precipitation in their backyards using standard 4-inch diameter rain gauges and submit reports online.

Climatologist Pete Boulay said the data from backyard rain gauges are helpful and important in many ways. “These volunteers help to verify high rain totals after big events, monitor drought and flooding, make our precipitation maps more accurate and provide needed guidance on Minnesota’s cha...