Thursday, February 24, 2011

Weather Observer

"Weather or not,” is often the deciding factor in many of our decisions. The weather does dictate our work schedule, travel plans, and appointments. We know that the weather is different every year and that each season brings about a new set of weather challenges.

Our family has been recording weather data for many years. Our uncle was a weather observer for the National Weather Service for over 80 years. Today, my husband carries on that tradition by reporting the daily high and low temperatures, and measuring any moisture that comes in the form of rain or snow.

The weather information we collect is interesting and becomes part of the National Weather Service’s database. My husband keeps a running tally on moisture totals throughout the year and often compares his information with past years. Since everything we do on the ranch depends on moisture and weather, we find the data very useful.

I’ve attached a short video showing how we measure the moisture content of snow. The snow is collected in the outdoor collection can. Then we simply melt the snow, by running hot water over the can in the kitchen sink. After the snow is melted, my husband pours the water into a cylinder and accurately measures the amount. It’s an easy chore, but a daily one that we take seriously.

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