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4/4/2005

Dear CoCoRaHS weather watchers and rain gauge readers:

(read to the bottom for weather update, hail pad party update, and schedule for upcoming training sessions)

Within the next day or two our web developer -- Julian Turner -- is going to be switching URL's.  When this happens,

                www.cocorahs.org

will begin routing us directly to the new website.  If you haven't already done so, this is a good time to switch over.  We will keep the old site up and running for a few more weeks, but we encourage you to begin using the new site.

To aid in this process, our webmaster, Marty, has gone through the new site inch by inch and compiled a set of instructions that should help you (and me) through this transition.  You may want to print these out and keep them close to your computer until you are familiar with the new site.

Welcome to the new CoCo RaHS web site.  Here are some basic directions which should help you get started using the new site.

When you first load the new cocorahs web site you will see a map of the US with several states highlighted.  There is a fixed navigation bar at the top of the screen and, depending upon what you are attempting to view, you will see different navigation boxes appear on the left hand side of the screen.

You can look at maps and reports for any of the participating states and counties at any time.  But to enter or edit data, or to check your account (your project ID information -- address, latitude/longitude, etc), you will need to log in.

• Click on the "Login" link at the top of the page.
• Click on the "Find your login info" link at the bottom of the login box.
• Enter either your station number or e-mail address and click "Get Login Info"
  Assuming that we have a valid e-mail address for you, we will e-mail you your new User Name and Password.  Make sure your e-mail system does not block our messages to you.  If you don't get an e-mail from us you need to contact us to get this info.  There is a "Contact Us" link in the Main Menu on the left.

Because we are expanding into other states, we have changed our station numbering scheme.  Every station number must now begin with a 2-letter state abbreviation followed by a dash, then a two or three letter county abbreviation followed by another dash and finally a number.  If you live in Colorado, for example, and your Station Number in the old system was CF73, your Station Number in the new system will be CO-CF-73.  If your Station Number in the old system was just a number (like 300) then your Station Number in the new system will be completely different.  For example 300 might become CO-LR-255.  Your Station Name will not change.

Here's some good news.  On the new data entry forms, your Station Number and Station Name will be automatically filled in for you when you login so you really won't have to remember them.

Your User Name (this is different from your station name) is just a name you use to login to the new system as part of the new security.  Initially it will be some combination of your first and last name and station number but you can change it to anything you want.  Instructions on how to change your User Name and Password are at the bottom of this document.

• Now that you have your User Name and Password, you may login.
• Click on the "Login" link at the top of the page.
• Fill in your User Name and Password; you have to type both your User Name and Password EXACTLY as they are shown in your e-mail message.  (Tip: copy and paste these from your e-mail message to avoid typing errors!)
• Click on "Login" button.
• If you enter the correct username and password, then you will see your data entry screen appear. It will have "My Data Entry:  Daily Precipitation Report Form" at the top of the form.
• Once you have logged into the system you will remain logged in indefinitely unless you specifically logout.  This means that you don't have to do the login more than once.  You can tell if you are already logged in because the top blue bar will have the "Logout" option displayed.  If you want to change your user name or password, see instructions below.

• You are probably already on the "Daily Precipitation Report Form"  If not, Click on "My Data" at the top of the page.
• You will see your data entry form and two new boxes appear on the left hand side of the screen.  The form will already have your new Station Number and Station Name filled out. (If you see the wrong station name or number, please contact us right away.)
• Check the date; click the arrows by the date if you need to change the day. (Remember, you can go back and enter data from previous days at any time)
• Check the time that your rain gauge was emptied.  If you did not check and empty your gauge at 7 AM, then type in the correct time.
• Enter your Total Precipitation amount (rain or melted snow that has fallen in the past 24 hours)
• Enter any notes describing significant weather conditions during the past 24 hours.
• If you have snow data to report or information about the time when precipitation began or ended, enter it also. (We are still improving the entry form as some of our snow data categories have been confusing -- sorry)
• Additional information, such as flooding -- enter as needed.
• When you have completed the observation, then click "Submit Data"
  You will see a screen verifying your data with a message of "Confirmation: The Daily Precipitation Report was saved"
• If you made a data entry error -- such as entering snowfall in fractions of an inch instead of in inches and tenths, you will get one of several error messages.  The new system will not accept your observation unless each field is entered properly.
• If, after submitting your observation, you realize you need to change something, you no longer need to re-enter the entire observation.  You can now edit any part of the observation by clicking on the "Edit" link that is on the right hand side of the blue bar of the box showing your data.

• Click on "My Data" at the top of the page. Two boxes will appear on the left, one labeled "Enter My Reports" and the other is labeled "List/Edit My Reports"
• Click on "Daily Precipitation" in box on the left labeled "List/Edit My Reports"
  You should get a list of all of the Daily Precipitation reports that you have entered, sorted by date.  You can click on any column header to sort the list by that column.
• Each item in the list has a link in the right hand column labeled "View".
• To edit a report just find the data entry that you need to edit.
• Click on the "View" link for that data entry.
  You now have the original data entry screen for this daily precipitation entry and you can modify any of the fields.
• Click on "Submit Data" when you have fixed the data.  Note, if you change the date for the entry, the code will delete the report from the previous date and submit the data using the new date.

• Click on "My Data" at the top of the page.
  Two boxes will appear on the left, one labeled "Enter My Reports" and the other labeled "List/Edit My Reports".
• Click on "Hail" or "Intense Precipitation" in the box on the left labeled "Enter My Reports"
  You will see the Hail or Intense Precipitation data entry form.
• Fill out the form and click "Submit Data".

To enter Multi-Day precipitation:

(Remember; please don't use the multi-day form to enter days of zeros.  Use the Monthly Zeros form described above.)

The multi-day precipitation form is used for times when you have been away and are reporting precipitation that accumulated in your gauge over multiple days, but you do not know exactly which days it may have fallen are.   For example, if you were gone for 4 days and returned to find water in your rain gauge or you had a three day snow storm and you only emptied your rain gauge after the storm was over.

• Click on "My Data" at the top of the page
• In the box on the left labeled "Enter My Reports" select "Multi-Day Precipitation"
• Fill out the form that appears and click "Submit Data"
  Make sure that your dates are correct; if you left for vacation on 5/15 after entering your data for that day and returned to find precipitation in your gauge, your first day for multi-day precipitation should be 5/16.

WE MAY HAVE A LOT OF E-MAIL IN THE NEXT

FEW DAYS, BUT WE WILL GET BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS WE CAN.

Some of you had some challenging observations this past week.  Areas of eastern Colorado from Brush and Fort Morgan to Limon and on to Monument Hill had a brief but furious blizzard.  Drifts up to 4 - 5 feet were noted by several CoCoRaHS volunteers.  Considering the difficulty of the observation, snowfall and precipitation estimates looked pretty reasonable.

I was in western Colorado this past week and was greeted by bursts of heavy snow both Tuesday and Wednesday morning.  One of our volunteers noted that a reliable source observed 8" of snow in less than 2 hours.  In Glenwood Springs, I saw about 6" of snow fall in 3 hours -- with no wind.

Wyoming, which has been on the short end of the precipitation stick for years now, has been picking up some moisture from some of the recent storms, but they sure could use more in April.  Down in New Mexico, after a winter-long series of storms that has made this one of their wettest winters on record, things are now drying out.

It has been great fun watching CoCoRaHS spread into Kansas with more and more data showing up each day.

What's ahead for this week?

After a very lovely weekend, looks like a storm will be blowing through the Rockies and Great Plains on Tuesday.  Not sure about precipitation, but pretty sure a lot of us will see strong winds.  Then it looks like we'll settle down to more days of zero precipitation until maybe next weekend.

Just wanted you to know that Denver had a fun, successful party on Saturday and about a dozen people put together 200 hail pads.  We've now produced close to 1000 so far.  Pads are now being distributed on request in Kansas.  Our project leaders in Wyoming are making hail pads for Wyoming even as we speak.  Thanks to all of you who are helping make this happen.

AGAIN, remember it's April and the hail season can sneak up on us quickly. Have your new hail pads ready for action.  Pick some up from your coordinator if you don't already have some (Wyoming will be getting them to each county FSA office within a few weeks.)

Several training sessions are scheduled this month in the Denver area

Training sessions this week will be

Wednesday, April 6th, at 6:30 PM at the Louisville library, 950 Spruce St. in Louisville in Boulder County

Thursday, April 7th, 6-8 PM at the Northglenn Library, 10530 N. Huron at the corner of 104th and Huron   RSVP to Steve Hamilton, cocorahs@gmail.com

If you live in these areas and have not yet attended a training session, or need to pick up a rain gauge or hail pads, this would be a great opportunity.

A training session for new volunteers will be held in Chugwater on May 4 beginning at 6 PM at the Chugwater Community Center

A training session will be planned soon for central Kansas

The Training session conducted in Albuquerque was recorded and can be viewed online at any time at   www.watertaskforce.org

If you made it through this entire document, you deserve a medal.  Drop me a line at:

nolan@ccc.atmos.colostate.edu and let me know you read the whole thing.

Have a great week.  We'll be giving a talk about the CoCoRaHS project on Thursday afternoon in Trinidad, Colorado, at the Arkansas River Basin Water Forum.  If you're in the vicinity, stop by and say hi.

Nolan Doesken

P.S.  I was out working in the garden today -- first time this year. The weeds are coming up already.  There is some soil moisture -- better than some recent years, but we will need some spring storms soon in our area to keep things green and growing