Illinois was the 13th state to join the CoCoRaHS Network.

CoCoRaHS observers provide a great service to the community by providing information on precipitation across the state. This information is used by scientists, community officials, farmers, emergency managers, and your friends and neighbors to see where daily precipitation has occurred in Illinois. Anyone with an interest in the weather or the environment is welcome to participate.

What Do I Need

The only requirements for participation are an enthusiasm for watching and reporting weather conditions and a desire to learn more about how the weather can affect and impact our lives.You must also use the standard 4-inch rain gauge to measure your precipitation. Even if you already have some other type of rain gauge such as a digital or automatic gauge often included with home weather stations, you will need to use the standard rain gauge. For an explanation on why CoCoRaHS uses the 4 inch gauge, please go here.

How Do I Join

It's easy to sign-up to become an observer - click on "Join CoCoRaHS" and complete the on-line application form. Once you sign up, you will receive a login and password. After you have a rain gauge and begin making observations, you can log in and report them. Your precipitation observations will start showing up daily on our county maps.


How Do I Obtain a Rain Gauge

If you do not currently have a 4-inch rain gauge, you can order your CoCoRaHS rain gauge from weatheryourway.com for only $25. This is a special price for CoCoRaHS observers, and you will not find a lower price anywhere else. You can get a discounted rain gauge by going to WeatherYourWay.com at http://www.weatheryourway.com/cocorahs/index.html and entering a username of "coco" and password of "rahs".

Training

Training is required! These training sessions are great opportunities to learn from the experts and to meet your fellow CoCoRaHS observers. Attendance at a training session is preferred, but if that is not possible you may take the online training available on the CoCoRaHS web site. There is no charge to attend a training session.

Here are the currently scheduled training sessions. Training sessions will typically last about two hours. Additional sessions will be scheduled in the near future. Please check this web page often for updates!

Illinois CoCoRaHS 2009 Training Sessions
Please note the starting time of the session you are interested in attending.

Monday, November 16, 6:00 p.m.   Lincoln (Logan County)

Tuesday, November 17, 1:00 p.m.   Lincoln (Logan County)

National Weather Service
1362 State Route 10
Lincoln, IL 62656

To reserve a spot for one of these training sessions, please contact Billy Ousley at Billy.Ousley@noaa.gov

Tuesday, November 24, 6:00 p.m.   Morton (Tazewell County)

Morton Public Library
315 W Pershing St
Morton, IL 61550

To reserve a spot for this training session, please contact Billy Ousley at Billy.Ousley@noaa.gov

Map to Morton Public Library

Wednesday, December 9, 6:30 p.m.   Champaign (Champaign County)

University of Illinois Extension
Champaign County Unit
801 Country Fair Drive, Suite D
Champaign, IL 61820

Registration is required. Register online here. Or, call 217-333-7672

Map to Champaign County Extension office

89 Counties with CoCoRaHS Volunteers

CoCoRaHS in Illinois is made possible by the Illinois State Water Survey at the University of Illinois, the five National Weather Service offices with responsibilities in the state: Romeoville/Chicago, Davenport/Quad Cities, Lincoln, St.Louis, and Paducah; and the University of Illinois Extension Natural Resources Management Team.