An otherwise empty backyard can be turned into a science laboratory with the very basic but essential, digital rain gauge. It is very interesting to know how backyard science can actually be fun! Kids love to demonstrate their own building capacities and what a better way than to create a weather lab in your own backyard? Simple rain gauges can be made with a funnel taped properly to a graduated cylinder which can record the amount of precipitation in a day.
But there’s a better way. You don’t have to run out every day and measure the rain collected in your cylinder. With a digital rain gauge you can simply sit in your home and enjoy a live feed. And with much greater accuracy than with a do it yourself gauge.
The U.S. weather service sells these rain gauges for normal domestic use. It is generally a smaller replica of what the government and other private meteorological departments use. Advanced gauges use a second cylinder in case the main cylinder fills up.
A digital rain gauge does all the manual work required to record a rainfall. The better ones come with another holding area, which automatically empties itself on receiving more than one inch of precipitation.
The wireless digital gauge helps you record the live precipitation patterns at the push of a button, without having you to go out, get drenched and check the reading! Some even come with the temperature display function which records the indoor and outdoor temperatures as well.
Choose a place which is free from obstructions around and above it. Avoid areas which are too densely forested. A tree above the gauge will only serve to provide you with inaccurate data.
Do not keep it near your dog house too. By chance if the dog takes any interest in the gauge, you are done with your job of measuring the rainfall – your pet will take care of it! If you have not mowed your lawn for long, then it is also not a suitable place.
The best place is the terrace upstairs. Choose an isolated spot and please don’t cover it! Placing it above a window shade will also do, provided you don’t have any stray branches scraping at it.
Not only is measuring the rainfall fun, it can be a big use to those who garden or take exceptional pride in their lawn. When you know how much rain has fallen, you’ll know how much water your plants and grass will need. A digital rain gauge will make sure you get accurate data.
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