Daniel Prince
Mar 20, 2023
State hoping to win nationwide contest by adding the most new volunteers this month
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is looking for volunteers to help track the weather. The South Carolina State Climatology Office, housed within DNR and partnering with the National Weather Service, needs volunteers to observe and report rainfall and our rare frozen precipitation. Doing so could help the state win a nationwide contest to see which state can add the most new volunteers during the month of March. South Carolina is looking for its fourth win since 2008. The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network, known as CoCoRaHS, hosts the contest and is a national volunteer network of backyard weather watchers of all ages and backgrounds. To participate, register at www.cocorahs.org as soon as possible, watch the online training, buy a rain gauge, and record and report your observations.
State Climatologist Hope Mizzell said that volunteers have been critical in recording precipitation levels throughout the state and supplying needed data during major events, such as the floods in 2015, Hurricane Matthew in 2016, and Tropical Storms Irma and Florence. The information provided has also helped to track drought conditions across the state. The group hopes to add at least 100 new volunteers statewide this year, aiding in their mission to provide the highest quality data for natural resources, education, and research.