ABEn 145 - Tribunalo - Lab 6

DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURAL AND
BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING
Visca, Baybay City, Leyte, PHILIPPINES
ľelephone: (053) 525-0140 local 1015
Email: dabe@vsu.edu.ph
Website: www.vsu.edu.ph
ABEn 145 – HYDROMETEOROLOGY
Name: Lormelyn O. Tribunalo Course and Year: BSABE 3

Group No. 6 Lab Schedule: F(1:00-4:00)PM
Laboratory Exercise No. 6

RAINFALL MEASUREMENT AND ANALYSIS
I. INTRODUCTION
Rainfall is one of the most common types of precipitation that occur in the surface, or the
most common type of precipitation that water goes back to the surface of the earth. The vertical
depth at which the water from a precipitation would stand if it were all collected on a level
surface is how precipitation is measured. The depth at which water would build up on the earth's
surface if there were no losses from evaporation, infiltration, or runoff, and if all snow and other
precipitation melted. Using a rain gauge such as recording rain gauges and non-recording rain
gauges, the amount of precipitation is calculated.
Rain gauge comes in many forms, and is categorized in two main categories, the non-
recording rain gauge and recording rain gauge. In this laboratory exercise, students will deal with
the instruments available to the agromet station pertinent to the measuring of precipitation and
how these instruments operate. Furthermore, data collection in correlation to rainfall
measurement and analysis is tackled and given importance in this laboratory exercise.
II. MATERIALS
- Standard Rain Gage

- Recording Rain Gage
III. METHODS
A discussion and demonstration pertinent to the instruments was done and conducted by
the supervising technician assigned to the agromet station in the lower campus. The
instruments associated in this laboratory are pertinent to rainfall instruments. For standard rain
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gage, data obtained at least one day reading during the rainfall occurred. For rainfall
intensity analysis, data obtained was taken from a source in the internet for there was no
longer available data in the agromet station during which a strong occurred. From the chart,
partition the time-rainfall trace into time intervals of approximate uniform slope. Time
intervals or periods are 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 minutes, 1 hr, 2, 5, 10,15, 20, 24 hours
and so on and could be repeatable depending on the rainfall trace. Tabulated the clock time
as column 1, cumulative time as column 2, and cumulative rainfall dept at the end of each
interval as column 3. Time zero corresponds to the beginning of the storm. Computed and
tabulated the depth of rainfall for all time intervals and corresponding time interval as column
4 and 5. Each length of period within the interval is referred to as the duration of rain.
Computed rainfall intensity for the cumulative rain by dividing the values in column 3 by the
time in column 2 and enter the results as column 6. Compute the rainfall intensities for the
time intervals by dividing rainfall values in column 4 by the time intervals in column 5 and
enter the results as column 7.
IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
1. A discussion on the operating principle of each instrument and its function or purpose,
including the requirements for installation. Explain the important application(s) of rainfall data
to agriculture.
8’’ Standard Ran Gage
Function: 8’’ Standard Rain Gage is a simple non-recording gage. Usually referred to as
SRG and is used in National Weather Service is of a standard design used throughout the
world for official rainfall measurements. Provides uniformly, continuity, and credibility of
precipitation data worldwide. It consists of four major components: Measuring stick, overflow
can, collector funnel, and measuring tube.
Operating Principle: Standard Rain Gage, an 8-inch diameter funnel-shaped or cylindrical

collected is linked with a measuring tube and is placed in an open area where it can receive
rain. The design is further kept in a larger outer in case the inner container starts flowing.
The collector should neither be too small nor too big. Rainfall is generally measured by
measuring the height of the water in the inner cylinder. Excess water is collected in the outer
container and is poured into another container for further measurements. In measuring the
rainfall, the measuring stick is inserted through the orifice of collector funnel and allowed to
extend to the bottom of the tube. Precipitation collected will “wet” the stick then the person
reads and record the liquid measurement.
Requirement for Installation: The gauge support should normally be installed to where the
bottom off the gauge is about 10-15 inches above the ground.
Tipping Bucket Rain Gage
Function: Tipping bucket refers to the mechanism that certain rain gages deploy to measure
precipitation at any given time. It is the most common type available and is known to
produce accurate and reliable results.
Operating Principle: Rainfall will fall into the funnel located at the top of the rain gage. The
funnel will direct the water into the top of the two tipping buckets. The tipping bucket will
have a water limit defined by the manufacturer or operator. Once the water reaches the
predefined limit, the bucket tip and hit the calibration stop. As this happens, the second
bucket is lifted and starts to fill. The process will continue as it rains. As the buckets pivot
and hit the calibration, a switch is activated, and the rain information recorded electronically.
Requirement for Installation: Choose a location that is typical of the region. The area around
the gauge should be relatively level, and the gauge orifice should be as large as possible.
The wind speed at gauge level should be uniform and as small as possible.
Weighing Bucket Rain Gage
Function: Weighing bucket rain gage is most common self-recording rain gage. It consists of
a receiver bucket supported by a spring or lever balance or some weighing mechanism.
Operating Principle: The instrument working principle is simple. The heavier the bucket the
more rainfall has occurred. The collecting bucket is housed within a shield and sits on a
spring, the movement of the bucket due to its increasing weight is transmitted to a pen which
traces record or some marking on a clock-driven chart. It gives a plot of the accumulated
rainfall values against the elapsed time and curve so formed is called the mass curve.
Requirement for Installation: The amount of rain that reaches the gauge is decreased by
walls, trees, and other impediments, so choose an area that is open. As a general rule,
place the gauge as high as it is away from an obstruction. If required, level the gauge to
ensure that it correctly measures the amount of rain it collects. The gauge's opening should
be above the anchor point when it is secured. A background that could change how much
water enters the gauge shouldn't be set up. Place the gauge between 4 and 6 feet above the
ground, but no lower than 2 feet above the surface.
Float Recording Gage
Function: Syphon (Float) type automatic rainfall recorder or simply called as float recording
gage is another type of recording gage. The working principle of float type rain gage is
similar to the weighing bucket-type rain gage. The reason water enters into the container of
the gage through the funnel. A float is provided at the bottom of the container.
Operating Principle: In this type of rain gage, a float is provided at the bottom of the
container. The float is lifted off by the rainwater which is collected in the container. The first
step is, rainfall collected by funnel-shaped collection is lead into a float chamber causing the
upload to rise. When the float rises, a pen or pointer attached to the float through a level
system records elevation of the float on a rotating drum driven by a clock mechanism. When
the float has reached a preset maximum level, the siphon arrangement empties the float
chamber.
Requirement for Installation: The space should be open to the elements. Keep anything that
is close to the rain gauge at least twice as far away from it as its height. Sad shouldn't
always be in the path of strong winds. Step 3, any extra metrological apparatus, and the site
fence should all be kept in good condition.
2. Development of the equation of rainfall for a standard rain gauge and give sample
computation.
Answer: Let, VD = Vd h = R (rainfall depth)
𝐴ℎ = 𝐴𝐻
𝐷2 𝑑2
(𝜋 𝑅) = (𝜋 ℎ)
4 4
D2R = d2h
𝑑2
R = 𝐷2 ℎ
𝒅 𝟐
R =( ) 𝒉
𝑫
Sample Problem: A standard rain gauge accumulates diameters of 36 and 4 cm in

diameter. Due to heavy rain in the area, rainfall measurement recorded 54 cm. What is the
accumulated rainfall of the rain gauge?
Given: Rain gauge tube diameters (36 cm and 4 cm)
Rainfall (54 cm)
Req`d: Total Rainfall=?
𝒅 𝟐
Sol`n: R =( ) 𝒉
𝑫
𝟒
R =( 𝟑𝟔 )𝟐 𝟓𝟒
R = 0.67 cm
3. Tabulated rainfall data from the standard rain gauge readings at 8 AM and 2 PM and
computed daily rainfall following the format shown in Table 1. Show sample computation for
determining total rainfall of the day.
Table 1. Data collection format for sunshine duration, air temperature, and cloud cover.
VSU-PAGASA Agrometeorological Station, Baybay City, Leyte
Geographical location: 10°44’43.25068” N, 124°47’26.90275” E. Elevation above MSLP:7 m
Item Raw Date

Data
No. January 1, 2023 January 2, 2023 January 3, 2023
8 AM 2 PM 8 AM 2 PM 8 AM 2 PM
1 Rainfall reading, mm 6.0 3.0 33.6 0.6 51.0 17.6
2 Rainfall of date, mm 36.6 51.6
3 Cloud cover, okta 07 - 08 08 - -
4 Remarks Heavy rainfall and Heavy rainfall and Heavy rainfall and
continuous non-stop heavy continuous
precipitation. precipitation. precipitation.
Data above obtained through getting the rainfall of the date through the following formula:
Rainfall of date (Rd) = Rd,2 + R(d+1),8
Thus, for January 1, 2023:
Rainfall reading (2PM of current day) + Rainfall reading (8AM next day)
3.0 mm + 33.6 mm = 36.6 mm
For January 2, 2023:
Rainfall reading (2PM of current day) + Rainfall reading (8AM next day)
0.6mm + 51.0 mm = 51.6 mm
4. Tabulated data and results of rainfall intensities, including a photocopy of the chart. From the
tabulated results or chart.
Table 2. Data Collection for the Rainfall Intensity

Clock Cumulative Cumulative Rainfall Time Intensity Intensity
time Time Rainfall Depth Interval for for the
Depth (mm/hr) (hr) Cumulative Time
(mm) Time (3/2) Interval
(mm/hr) (4/5)
(mm/hr)
1:00 PM 0 0 0 0 0 0
2:00 PM 1 11.80 0 1 11.80 0
3:00 PM 2 17.80 6.00 1 8.90 6.00
4:00 PM 3 23.00 5.20 1 7.67 5.20
5:00 PM 4 24.30 1.30 1 6.08 1.30
6:30 PM 5 50.00 25.70 1 10.00 25.70
7:00 PM 6 64.00 14.00 1 10.67 14.00
8:30 PM 7 70.00 6.00 1 10.00 6.00
9:00 PM 8 74.00 4.00 1 9.25 4.00
10:00 PM 9 75.80 1.80 1 8.42 1.80
11:00 PM 10 75.90 0.10 1 8.43 0.10
12:00 PM 11 76.20 0.30 1 6.93 0.30
1:00 PM 12 80.00 3.80 1 6.67 3.80
2:00 PM 13 82.00 2.00 1 6.31 2.00
3:00 PM 14 84.00 3.00 1 6.00 2.00
Figure 1: Rain Gauge chart August 28, 2012
Data from table 2 was obtained through a research on the available sources in the internet
due to the reason that the presented data above are not available in the agromet station.
Data accumulated were then used to answer the following questions:
1.a) what is the maximum rainfall intensity (column 7) and the corresponding rainfall duration?
Answer: The maximum intensity is 25.70 mm/hr and its corresponding rainfall
duration is 1 hour.
1.b) what are the maximum rainfall intensities for 5-minutee and 30-minute duration?
Answer: There are no maximum rainfall intensities for 5 minutes and 30 minutes
duration because the interval used was 1 hour.
1.c) what is the total rainfall in mm for the duration of the storm?
Answer: The total rainfall accumulated for the duration of the storm is 84 mm.
5. Tabulated rainfall record low and high for the past month following the format as shown in
Table 2.
Table 3. Data collection format for record lowest and highest RH for the month of August, 2022.
Data Date (MM-DD-YYYY) Value
Lowest August 31, 2022 65 %
Highest August 22, 2022 96 %

Number of rainy days August 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 12
16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 26, 2022
The lowest relative humidity for the month of August was recorded on August 31, 2022, whereas on
August 22, 2022 the highest percent of relative humidity was recorded. August 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12,
14, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, and 26 of the same year were the rainy days being observed.
6. Answer all questions and problems given below.

a. Give the important applications of rainfall data?
Rainfall data measurements is important because such data and computations
enables weather forecasters’, researchers, farmers, government and among other sectors,
used such datas for forecasting tropical cyclones, monitoring soil moisture conditions and
freshwater availability, monitoring flood and drought conditions, landslide activity, crop
yields and water-related illness. Also, to generate and create pro-active measures among
the changing views of climate in the earth.
b. Using the 8-inch standard rain gauge, find the diameter of the measuring tube (inner
diameter).
𝐻 = 𝑅 × 10
𝐻 = 0.98 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ × 10
𝐻 = 9.8 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ
Area of the tube:

𝐴 = 𝜋(𝑟12 − 𝑟22 ) ; 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎
= 50.26 𝑖𝑛2 (𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 8 − 𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑔𝑎𝑢𝑔𝑒)
𝑟2 = 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒
Thus,
𝐴
𝑟1 = √ − 𝑟22
𝜋
50.26 𝑖𝑛2
𝑟1 = √ − (8)2
𝜋
𝒓𝟏 = 𝟔. 𝟗𝟑 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒉
c. Rain falls at an average intensity of 1.0 cm/hr over a 250 ha for 3 days. Determine:
i. The average rate of rainfall in m3/s.
𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦:
𝑐𝑚 1 ℎ𝑟 1𝑚
=1 × ×
ℎ𝑟 3,600𝑠 100 𝑐𝑚
= 2.77 × 106 𝑚/𝑠
10,000 𝑚2
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 = 250 ℎ𝑎 × = 2,500,000 𝑚2
1 ℎ𝑎
𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 = 𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡 × 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎

= 2.77 × 10−6 𝑚/𝑠
× 2,500,000 𝑚2
𝑨𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 = 𝟔. 𝟗𝟑 𝒎𝟑 /𝒔
ii. The 3-day volume of rainfall in ha-m.

𝑚3 1 ℎ𝑎 86,400 𝑠
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 = 6.93 × 2
×
𝑠 10,000 𝑚 1 𝑑𝑎𝑦
× 3 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠
Volume= 𝟏𝟕𝟗. 𝟔𝟑 𝒉𝒂 − 𝒎
iii. The 3-day volume of rainfall in cm of equivalent dept over the 250 ha area.
𝑚3 1 1 ℎ𝑎 86,400 𝑠 100 𝑐𝑚
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 = 6.93 × × × × 3 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠 ×
𝑠 250 ℎ𝑎 10,000 𝑚2 1 𝑑𝑎𝑦 1𝑚
Volume = 𝟕𝟏. 𝟖𝟓 𝒄𝒎
V. CONCLUSION
The importance of measuring precipitation is necessary for understanding the water cycle
and its impact on the environment. The same amount of water the earth1s surface losses is the
same amount the earth`s surface will receive through precipitation. Measuring precipitation is
an important aspect to the agriculture sector, too little rain can cause droughts, while too much
rain can lead to flooding, and intense surface runoff, wherein both can contribute damage to the
crops and other agricultural aspect. That is why, it is necessary to perceive knowledge
regarding the accurate data gathering of precipitation and analyzing such datas and create
better decisions.
VI. REFERENCE
Precipitation Data in the Real World. (n.d.).
https://olc.worldbank.org/sites/default/files/sco/E7B1C4DE-C187-5EDB-3EF2-
897802DEA3BF/Nasa/chapter4.html
How well can we measure precipitation? Why is it so important? - Ali tokay - GLOBE.gov.
(n.d.). GLOBE GLOBE.gov. https://www.globe.gov/web/ali.tokay-1/home/blog/-/blogs/how-
well-can-we-measure-precipitation-why-is-it-so-important-
What is precipitation? (n.d.). NOAA SciJinks – All About Weather.

https://scijinks.gov/precipitation/
Taylor, C. (2022, October 12). What are the different types of rain gauges? Maximum Weather
Instruments. https://www.maximum-inc.com/what-are-the-different-type-of-rain-gauges/
Mishra, G. (2018, September 6). Types of Rain Gauges for Measuring Rainfall Data. The
Constructor. https://theconstructor.org/water-resources/types-of-rain-gauges/12801/

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DEPARTMENT OF

ABEn 145 – HYDROMETEOROLOGY

Name: Lormelyn O. Tribunalo Course and Year: BSABE 3

Laboratory Exercise No. 6

- Standard Rain Gage

IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

8’’ Standard Ran Gage

Operating Principle: Standard Rain Gage, an 8-inch diameter funnel-shaped or cylindrical

Tipping Bucket Rain Gage

Weighing Bucket Rain Gage

Float Recording Gage

Sample Problem: A standard rain gauge accumulates diameters of 36 and 4 cm in

Geographical location: 10°44’43.25068” N, 124°47’26.90275” E. Elevation above MSLP:7 m

Item Raw Date

1 Rainfall reading, mm 6.0 3.0 33.6 0.6 51.0 17.6

2 Rainfall of date, mm 36.6 51.6

3 Cloud cover, okta 07 - 08 08 - -

Rainfall of date (Rd) = Rd,2 + R(d+1),8

Thus, for January 1, 2023:

Table 2. Data Collection for the Rainfall Intensity

Data Date (MM-DD-YYYY) Value

Lowest August 31, 2022 65 %

Highest August 22, 2022 96 %

6. Answer all questions and problems given below.

Area of the tube:

𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 = 𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡 × 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎

ii. The 3-day volume of rainfall in ha-m.

Precipitation Data in the Real World. (n.d.).

What is precipitation? (n.d.). NOAA SciJinks – All About Weather.

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