Are you a weather buff? Do you want to be part of an early warning system for future weather events in our area?

We are all too familiar with how extreme weather events can impact our area. To become more proactive in responding to potential threats, we are seeking volunteers to report on regular rainfall and snowfall. On Friday, November 12, from 1:00 to 2:30 PM, we will host a free training session authorized by professional meteorologists from the National Weather Service. This training will help us establish “CoCoRaHS” stations throughout our service area.

CoCoRaHS stands for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network. It is a community-based initiative composed of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds who work together to measure and map precipitation using low-cost measurement tools and an interactive website. While the network operates in all fifty states, including Vermont, there are currently no reporting locations in most of Bennington County. Last year, Neighborhood Connections, a non-profit organization based in Londonderry, established a dozen new stations in Windham and Windsor Counties. The National Weather Service has requested that they replicate this model in Bennington County by the end of the year.

Each time a rain or snowstorm crosses the area, volunteers take precipitation measurements and forward reports. The data is then used by the National Weather Service and others to formulate more timely and accurate forecasts and warnings. Neighborhood Connections will supply the gauges for accurate measurements to all who successfully complete the training.