Hands-on project teaches students the challenges of measuring precipitation
Mike Kwasnik, a graduating senior in meteorology, Kyong Won Yoo, an undergraduate in the class, and Amy Huff, assistant professor of meteorology, analyze a rain gauge that they designed and created. Kwasnik and Yoo used their rain gauge to compare precipitation measurements to the National Weather Service’s rain gauge, which is located on the top of Walker Building, before learning how to write scientifically about their data. Image: Penn State
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Do you ever wonder how much rain or snow falls during a storm? Measuring a storm’s total precipitation is a very challenging task, and, each year, a group of meteorology students gets to learn just how many factors are involved through a hands-on project that lets them design and build their own rain gauges.
