Father's Day Gift Idea

Well Father's Day is coming up this weekend and if you haven't picked anything out for your dad yet, I have an idea. Are you ready for this?

It's a tipping bucket rain gauge. I've posted a picture of what it looks like on the inside and I'll explain how it works. The measuring device actually looks like a see-saw or teeter totter that you would normally find in a park. When one side fills up with water, it dumps through a hole in the bottom of the canister. The other side of the bucket, now in the up position, catches water until it fills up. It will then dump and the process goes back and forth. Generally speaking, each time the bucket dumps, there has been one-hundredth of an inch of rainfall (.01"), but other units can be used. The best part about it; you never have to empty the rain gauge and what dad wouldn't appreciate that.

If I still have your interest at this point, you are probably wondering how much one costs. Well, prices will range depending on where you get it, but the cheapest ones might go for $50, while other models will be slightly over $100. I'm a weather geek and I purchased one many years ago to install on the farm. The best part about it is going to the local COOP and telling the area ranchers and farmers that you had .05" of rain and watching them look at you funny, wondering how you get such an accurate rainfall reading.

To my dad and all the others out there, Happy Father's Day!

Important or Not?

The week is finally winding down and because the weather is quiet, it gives me a chance to talk about something that may have crossed your mind before but never remembered to ask a meteorologist. I'm referring to the credentials that broadcast meteorologists apply for during their career that usually help them land jobs in bigger television markets.

There are three different seals that meteorologists can apply for and each one has different requirements. In order to obtain the AMS seal (American Meteorological Society), one has to have either a degree in atmospheric science or have taken a set number of atmospheric science classes through an approved college. You don't have to have a degree to get an AMS seal.

The NWA seal (National Weather Association) is similar, but again, you don't have to have a degree in meteorology. In order to apply for this seal, one must have two years of professional broadcast experience as a full time employee.

The CBM seal (Certified Broadcast Meteorologist) is the newest credential for a TV meteorologist. You must have a degree in atmospheric science in order to be eligible. Once your application has been approved, you must pass a 100 question exam that is very difficult.

All three seals require the meteorologist to submit an on air performance to be critiqued by a panel of judges, which can also be very tedious.

What do they mean to the viewer? We hope you find some importance in them, but I'd like to hear your comments. Would you not watch a TV meteorologist if they didn't have a seal attached to their name? Post your comments and have a great weekend.

A Soggy Month

I was hoping to have this posted days ago, but we finally have the official rainfall amounts from the month of May. Some areas picked up about 6 months worth of rain in just 31 days, which is why we've had the flooding problems.

Here is a short list of May rainfall amounts for selected cities in Kansas.

Salina: 15.96"
Hutch: 13.70"
Winfield: 5.91"
Russell: 5.74"
Wichita: 4.11"
Dodge City: 2.35"

The surprising numbers are those from central Kansas. It's no wonder there was so much flooding in the Salina and Hutch areas during the month. Salina's average yearly rainfall is just over 32 inches and Hutch typically sees about 30 inches of rain in a calendar year.

It would be nice to space our rainfall out over the next 3 months so we don't burn up in the summertime heat. We will see how things pan out for us. Have a great week.