Old men seem to have a fascination about the weather or at least it is true for me. These days the weather offers more entertainment than anything else, maybe more than sitting in the Bi-Mart parking lot. To hear the rain falling on the roof, the wind blowing through the trees or the dead silence of a passing storm during the night and to see snow covering the outside world the next morning. The changing of the seasons is always something to look forward to, especially after the long dry hot summers Fall can't get here fast enough.
For over the last 10 years I have been measuring the rainfall as a volunteer observer for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (www.cocorahs.org). It is interesting to compare our rainfall with all the other volunteers in Douglas County, the state and across the country. At the end of the water year they provide data that I can use to predict our water supply and what to expect in regards to management of our forest vegetation. My daughter is a hydrologist with the Northwest River Forecast Center in Portland and tells me this data is utilized by them also in their forecasting. One thing I have learned over the years is that water is our greatest resource and the protection of our watersheds is vital.
Mike
Station OR-DG-22
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