Question

What precautions are required to be taken while fixing a Rain Gauge?

Answer 1

Hint: An instrument which is used by meteorologists or hydrologists to gather and measure the quantity of liquid precipitation in a particular area in a predefined time period is called a rain gauge.

Complete Step by Step Answer: Some precautions are required to be taken while fixing a Rain Gauge. In case of no precautions, some errors can occur in measurement and accuracy. The surrounding environment should be considered while selecting the area for the observation site. Observation of precipitation is influenced by the environment of the location of the instrument. The flow of air around this instrument should be horizontal. Avoid the places which are elevated, tilted and concave. A site should be chosen away from mountain ridges because in the mountain ridges, local winds are strongly distorted. Those sites like building rooftops and trees should be avoided where wind blows through. Rain gauge should be installed at a distance from buildings or trees equivalent to about two to four times their heights. The higher a rain gauge is placed, its efficiency to collect precipitation decreases because the speed of wind near the ground increases with height. The significant influences on the precipitation measurement are the environment and wind at the sight where a rain gauge is placed rather than the rain gauge’s performance itself. It is very difficult to choose an observation site which has a sufficient level of representation because the precipitation is characterized by locality.

Note: The surface which surrounds the rain gauge should be flat and covered with gravel or grass to prevent raindrops from outside. The rain gauge should be installed in an optimum observation environment.