I visit a weather site a lot and was told about this particular gauge that is certified by the National Weather Service. It comes from Scientific Sales and costs $39, but is well worth it, if you are serious about being accurate. It is made of heavy plastic and can even be used to measure snowfall, so it can stand being outside all year! I bought one last August and I love it! I had been using those smaller ones from Lowes and Home Depot for years, and though they never cracked during winter for me, I found out that they are not accurate. They tend to over-report rain amounts. I don't worry anymore about my rain totals being wrong! One thing I would suggest for anyone using a manual gauge, is to take them inside whenever you cut your grass. Here is the link to that gauge......

Here is a link that might be useful: Rain Gauge

Why on Earth does anyone need a rain gauge (other than a cup or bucket)? Are you going to keep historic documentation on rainfall or do you just like to know exactly how much rain fell at your house for conversational purposes?

My rule is: If it rains, don't water. If it doesn't rain and plants look thirsty, water! I never lose plants from over or under watering.

Keeping historic records on rainfall seems meaningless as patterns vary from month to month and year to year. While one year July may have little or no rain fall, the following year July may produce one half of all rain for the year. Go figure! One cannot calculate rainfall based on historical data and even averages seem to have a great deal of difference to actual amounts most of the time.

For instance, in January, our average rainfall is 4 inches yet, in 2002 we had over 6½" and we are lucky to have gotten even 2" in 2003, 2004, and 2005. So if averages have a difference of 50% or more, what good are they?

Therefore, I have given up depending on rain entirely! I wish I could just turn my entire property into a giant greenhouse and forget about weather.

Everyone complains about the weather but, noone ever does anything about it.

Vroomp, for myself, I just enjoy keeping track of the weather. Its the same with gardening, yet neither is something anyone HAS to do.

When the glass tube broke on the cute little gauge with the bird and trowel holder that was a present from my grands, I replaced it with the tube from a plain one from the dollar store.

I do like to know 'we only got about a tenth' or 'we got nearly four inches' or 'only about a quarter.' If I know about how much rain we got, I know how soon I'll have to water again.

Nell

I personally just hate when I come home and see that it rained but really it only wet the surface of everything. It is just also nice when we get a heavy downpour to say "wow we got 3 inches in a hour." You know.

My last two rain gauges were plastic and still cracked. I don't know if my curiousity warrants a $40 rain guage. Maybe if it was also ornamental or something.

I bought a copper one from smith and hawken years ago, and it's wonderful. A blue piece of plastic will rise as water accumulates, so it's a quick read. Also, to clear it, just press the blue piece down. It couldn't be simpler. I'm not sure if they still sell it, but here is a similar one on ebay:

Here is a link that might be useful: