DNR Seeks Central Minnesota Volunteers to Track Backyard Rainfall

(KNSI) – If you’ve ever watched a summer storm drop buckets of rain on your side of town while a friend across the county stayed bone dry, the state wants to hear from you.

The Minnesota State Climatology Office is recruiting central Minnesota residents to join the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, better known as CoCoRaHS. The nationwide network has more than 20,000 volunteers who track precipitation in their own backyards using a standard 4-inch diameter rain gauge and submit the numbers online.
State Climatologist Luigi Romolo says rural parts of the state, including much of greater Minnesota outside the Twin Cities metro, are exactly where more observers are needed.

“We have some areas in greater Minnesota that have very few reporting stations. The more we have across the state, the better information we all have,” Romolo said.

That patchy coverage is part of why Stearns County backyards matter. A thunderstorm that dumps 2 inches on the north side of St. Cloud might leave Sartell, Waite Park, or Cold Spring with far less, and without enough observers on the ground, those differences get smoothed over on the maps forecasters, farmers, and emergency managers rely on.
Romolo says the long-term value goes well beyond any single storm. Over time, the volunteer reports feed into precipitation maps that help scientists track how Minnesota’s climate is shifting.

Signing up is straightforward. Volunteers go through online training on how to observe and report precipitation, then need to buy a rain gauge, available at a discount through CoCoRaHS. An internet connection to submit daily reports is the only other requirement.

Minnesota has a bit of a reputation to defend. The state has won the national “CoCoRaHS Cup” six years running for recruiting the most new volunteers during the annual spring drive. This year’s “Rain Gauge Rally 2026” runs through the end of April.

More information and sign-up details are available on the CoCoRaHS website.

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