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Each volunteer participating in CoCoRaHS is equipped with:
- A clear plastic high capacity rain gauge with mounting bracket
- A foil covered Styrofoam hail pad (with several spares)
- A set of metal hail pad mounting clips
- A packet of information and forms for recording data
Instructions for mounting your Hail Pad.
Hail Pad: The pad must be mounted on a solid base (a ½"
- ¾" piece of plywood or particle board about 14-inch square works
great) using the metal clips that are provided to hold it securely.
Place the pad in an area free from any obstacles that would hinder
or exaggerate the hail impact (i.e. vegetation, buildings). Make
sure that the pad is horizontal to the ground and that nothing will
block the falling hail from reaching the pad. Always orient the
hails pad the same way and mark on the edge of the pad which direction
is north. It is important to know the directions in order to analyze
the dents that hail will make on the pads.
Things to Remember: When mounting a hail pad.
- Avoid large obstacles that could block falling hail.
- Avoid placing pad near walls, buildings with slanted roofs,
or other structures that might concentrate and exaggerate the
number of hailstones striking the hail pad.
- Use mounting clips to prevent pad from blowing away in the wind.
- Mount the hail pad horizontally and fasten it to a hard surface
- Always position the hail pad the same, and mark the directions
on the side of the hail pad.
Instructions for mounting your Rain Gauge.
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When installing the rain gauge it is important to consider
its location. The gauge should be placed in an area that is
protected from strong winds but is not bothered by obstacles
that could either block precipitation from reaching the gauge
or cause precipitation to splash towards it. For example,
an ideal location would be a small open meadow surrounded
by forest, or an open back yard not too close to buildings
or trees.
The gauge should be installed 2-5 feet above the ground mounted
on the side of a single post. The top of the rain gauge should
extend several inches above the top of the mounting post.
The mounting post should have a rounded, pointed, or slanted
top to avoid upward splash towards the rain gauge.
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The rain gauge should be installed at a reasonable distance away
from obstacles such as buildings and trees. As a rule of thumb,
if a tree is 40ft. tall (taller than a two story house) the gauge
should be placed at least 80ft. downwind from it. This will help
avoid potential blockage of the rain gauge. It is not always possible
to find a perfect location. When in doubt, do your best.
Things to Remember: When mounting a rain gauge.
- Avoid large obstacles that could block precipitation.
- Avoid mounting the rain gauge were sprinklers or other sources
of artificial precipitation can affect the data.
- Make sure the top of the rain gauge is level.
- Mount the rain gauge so that heavy rain could not splash into
the gauge from any nearby surfaces.
- Mount the rain gauge in an area protected from strong wind,
if possible.
Maintenance.
Please clean rain gauge periodically using a mild detergent and
a soft bottlebrush. Do Not let water freeze inside the
gauge as it can cause the plastic to crack. During the summer,
make sure no water from nearby sprinkler systems can get in your
gauge
Check hail pad regularly to make sure accidental damage has not
occurred. Replace it if necessary.
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