Pluviometer: What is it, what is it for, types and how it works

A rain gauge is a meteorological instrument used to measure the amount of precipitation Fall in a place during a given period. Essentially, it is a container that collects rainwater, snow or hail, allowing meteorologists and scientists to quantify the exact amount of water that has accumulated.

The basic design of a pluviometer consists of a plastic or metal cylinderplaced outdoors so that precipitation is deposited inside. The collection water is generally measured in millimeters, which represents the height that water would reach if it was distributed evenly on a flat surface. This measurement is essential to understand climatic patterns, provide floods and manage water resources. In addition, rainfall data is fundamental for climate change studies, since they allow us to observe how the amount of rain varies in different areas and periods.

The rain gauge serves for various purposes, mainly in the field of weather, agriculture, water resources management and environmental research:

• Meteorology and climate prediction: By measuring the amount of precipitation in a specific region, meteorologists can analyze rain patterns, identify wet and dry seasons, and make more precise predictions about the climate.
• Agriculture: For farmers, it is necessary to know how much rain has fallen, since this influences crop irrigation and plant growth.
• Water resource management: Rain measurement helps authorities to manage water resources, such as rivers, reservoirs and aquifers. Having data on the amount of rainwater, it can be foreseen if there will be enough water for supply in dry periods or if it will be necessary to take preventive measures due to the possibility of floods.
• Environmental research and climate change: The data obtained with rainfall are also valuable to study climate change, since they allow us to observe how the amount of rain varies over time in different places.

There are several types of rainfall, each designed for different purposes and with different levels of precision:

• Graduated bucket storm: It is one of the simplest rainfall and consists of a graduated cylinder that directly measures the amount of rainwater in millimeters. It is easy to use and is found in many weather stations and homes. However, due to its simplicity, it does not usually have mechanisms to measure automatically or store data, so it requires direct observation.
• Slipstick: Also known as a rocker or flip bucket pluviometer, it has two small buckets that balance as a scale. When one of the buckets fills up to a certain point, the water falls and empties, while the other is positioned to receive more rain. Each turnaround represents a specific amount of precipitation, which is recorded by a system of counters or sensors.
• Weighter rainfall: This pluviometer uses a balance or weight sensor that measures the weight of the accumulated water in a container. As precipitation falls, the weight of the container changes, and that change is registered electronically. This type of pluviometer is very precise and can measure both rain and snow and hail, which makes it appropriate for areas with diverse rainfall.
• Vibrant surface or rope voltage pluviometer: Use a vibrant rope sensor that measures the amount of rainwater when detecting changes in vibration caused by water accumulation. When water falls on the rope, it changes its vibration frequency, which allows you to calculate the amount of precipitation.
• OPTICAL OR LASER PLUVIUMETER: These advanced rainfall use laser or optical technology to measure precipitation. They detect water drops as they pass through a laser beam, measuring their size and frequency. They are very precise and are generally used in advanced climatic research and in places where high real -time precision, such as airports or weather research centers.

The operation of a pluviometer depends on the specific type, but in general, all rainfall is designed to collect and measure the amount of water that falls in the form of precipitation:

• Graduated bucket storm: It works as a simple container, usually cylindrical, which has graduate marks in millimeters. When it rains, the water accumulates in the cylinder, and the level reached can be read directly in the graduated marks. Each millimeter of water that accumulates in the pluviometer represents 1 liter of water per square meter in the area where it is installed.
• Slipstick: Each bucket has a certain water capacity; When one of the buckets is filled, tilted or rotates to empty, while the other bucket is positioned to receive the following precipitation. Each bucket overturn represents a known amount of rain, and the dumps are automatically recorded by a counter or sensor.
• Weighter rainfall: The pluviometer uses a scales or weight sensor that measures weight change as rainwater accumulates in a container. Each variation in the weight of the water becomes a extent of precipitation, which is recorded continuously and automatically.
• OPTICAL OR LASER PLUVIUMETER: It works by sending a ray of light that detects rain drops when they interrupt the beam of light. As the drops pass through the lightning, the rain gauge measures its size and the frequency of its fall, and thus calculates the amount of precipitation.
• Vibrant surface or rope voltage pluviometer: It works with a vibrant rope that changes their frequency when water accumulates on it. The vibration frequency varies according to the amount of water that is deposited, and this change is interpreted by the rain gauge as a precipitation measure.

Now that you know what a rain gauge is, you may be interested in reading this article about torrential rain: causes, consequences and what to do.

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