The National Weather Service and state climatologist John Christy hope to recruit an army of volunteers to help monitor rainfall in the Tennessee Valley.

"As everybody knows, in Alabama, rainfall can vary greatly from mile to mile even block to block," said Christy, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and state coordinator of the Community Collabrative Rain, Hail and Snow Network.

"The more people we can have monitoring rainfall amounts, the better."

He said more volunteer rainfall observers are needed in the Shoals. Since the nationwide weather monitoring network began in Alabama in October, 14 volunteers have joined in Lauderdale County, with five from Colbert County, five in Franklin and three in Lawrence. Madison County has 104 volunteers.

"We need many more volunteers. You can never have too much information about rainfall," Christy said.

Becoming a volunteer is simple. All that is needed is an official rain gauge, which costs $22, and Internet access, Christy said.

Volunteers use the Internet to report rainfall at their home or business.

The National Weather Service and other government agencies use the rainfall reports to monitor droughts and floods and for preparing other precipitation-related reports.

Scientists, farmers, construction crews and residents also use the information, which is posted on the Web, said Lary Burgett, a meteorologist at the Weather Service's Huntsville office.

While the official weather reporting station for the Shoals at the Northwest Alabama Regional Airport might be bypassed by rain, there could be a deluge in other portions of Colbert or Lauderdale counties. Burgett said information from rain gauges monitored by volunteers could help the Weather Service know if a flash flood warning needs to be issued for the communities in the path of the deluge.

"The more rainfall reports we have, the better we will be able to interpret the data and make better forecasts." Burgett said.

Dennis Sherer can be reached at 740-5746 or dennis.sherer@timesdaily.com.

Source: National Weather Service