This is part of the Midwest Farm Report’s partnership with the National Weather Service staff in Wisconsin to encourage citizen’s to become involved in rainfall/snowfall reporting to enhance forecasting across the state.
Scott Berschback would love to have more people become a part of the weather conversation. He’s one of about 20 staff at the National Weather Service Bureau in Green Bay, that work day in, and day out, trying to predict what weather patterns will occur over northeast Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. Big shoes to fill when you don’t have a lot of people to contribute information from the ground!
Berschback says despite all the technology they have available for forecasting, they still rely heavily on citizen scientists that report rainfall, snowfall, or other weather related information to their office.
This cooperative information sharing can pay big dividends you may not think about. “When we make a forecast we share it with the general public as well as group’s like emergency managers,” Berschback says. “Basically we want to prepare people for the storms that’s expected.” In the winter that includes helping state and local officials stage up for plowing and salting needs, as well as potential power outages. Berschback says in the summer, it’s the same responsibility – helping people prepare for life-threatening developments like tornadoes or lightning.
Through the month of March, the National Weather Service offices in Wisconsin are asking citizens to sign up and be involved as an official rainfall/snowfall reporter. Find out how at WisconsinWeatherWatchers.org.
