2ND EPAL KAVALAS

COMENIUS 2010-2012

Water - an important resource in the life of European citizens

Pluviometer - Rain Gauge

A rain gauge (also known as an udometer or a pluviometer [fluviograph] or a cup) is a type of instrument used by meteorologists and hydrologists to gather and measure the amount of liquid precipitation (as opposed to solid precipitation that is measured by a snow gauge) over a set period of time

Rain gauge
The first known records of rainfalls were kept by the Ancient Greeks about 500 B.C. This was followed 100 years later by people in India using bowls to record the rainfall.

How to Use a Rain Gauge

Rain gauges are devices designed to measure how much rain was received at a specific location over a designated period of time. Rain gauges are easy to use and can act as an accurate way to measure how much water plants are getting over time.

How to Make a Rain Gauge

a large plastic soft drinks bottle scissors a ruler a waterproof marker pen (or coloured sticky tape) a heavy flower pot a notepad and pencil (to record the results)

1) Cut the top off the plastic bottle with the scissors 2) Turn the top upside down and wedge it in the bottle to form a funnel. (If necessary, use sticky tape to hold the top of the bottle in place) 3) Using a ruler, measure out a scale (in millimetres) on a piece of paper. Either stick this to the side of the bottle, or use the marker pen to mark out the lines instead 4) To prevent the rain gauge from blowing over,
place it outside in a heavy flowerpot

 Now you are ready to record how much rainfall is received over a certain time. Check the rain gauge every day, or once a week if you prefer, and record how much water is in the bottle. Use the scale or the marks on the side of the bottle to help you.

 Remember, if you are only taking measurements once a week, make sure your rain-gauge does not overflow in between if you get a lot of rain. Each time you measure the water, plot the results on a graph in a table.

Location Map

Kavla, Greece - Solar energy and surface meteorology

Variable Insolation, kWh/m/day Clearness, 0 - 1 I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII

1.82

2.48

3.39

4.24

5.11

5.93

6.09

5.47

4.22

2.84

1.90

1.49

0.46

0.46

0.45

0.45

0.47

0.51

0.54

0.54

0.51

0.46

0.43

0.42

Temperature, C

0.48

1.63

5.52

11.36

16.83

21.31

23.69

23.24

19.01

13.20

6.61

1.48

Wind speed, m/s

4.88

5.00

4.54

4.12

3.63

3.48

4.13

4.20

3.96

4.47

4.56

4.98

Precipitation, mm

63

52

47

40

49

39

32

25

34

51

66

80

Wet days, d

8.2

7.6

7.2

7.0

7.5

5.7

4.2

4.2

3.6

5.4

7.5

8.5