What Is the Most Accurate Style of Rain Gauge?

Rain gauges (also pluivometers or ombrometers) are meteorological instruments measuring the depth of precipitation over a given area. They were introduced in Korea in the mid-15th century as a method of determining the most fertile farmland for tax purposes.

Standard Gauge

• The standard rain gauge consists of a funnel and a measuring chamber. As the rain falls, it is collected, then measured. Standard rain gauges measure up to two inches of rain, any excess is captured in a secondary chamber and is measured separately. Standard rain gauges operate on a ratio of 10:1; if the gauge captures 10 inches of rain, 1 inch has fallen.

Tipping Bucket Gauge

• The tipping bucket rain gauge consists of a an arm on a fulcrum with a tiny bucket at each end (typically able to hold 0.01 inches of rain). When one of the buckets is full, it tips and empties causing the arm to move. When the arm moves, an electrical signal is sent to a receiver which records that a bucket has emptied.

Most Accurate

• The accuracy of any rain gauge depends on the method of measuring the water collected. Standard rain gauges often use a floating sensor to continually measure the collection, and empty automatically keeping accuracy high. Tipping bucket gauges are low maintenance and, once calibrated, record precipitation accurately and continually until no longer needed. Tipping bucket rain gauges are the most common type of automated rain gauge used by weather stations due to their low maintenance and consistent accuracy.