We’ll never know how much rain fell last week in some parts of Mississippi. The largest amount officially recorded was about 13 and a half inches in Newton County. But the National Weather Service says radar estimates showed as much as 15 inches in some locations. The problem is there aren’t enough accurate rain gauges around, especially in this part of central Mississippi. Marty Pope at the Weather Service in Jackson says more rainfall reports are needed from in and around Attala, Leake and Neshoba counties. And he’s encouraging people to consider becoming part of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) to provide more data about the local precipitation. Participants in the grassroots volunteer network purchase their own rain gauges and make daily reports directly to the Weather Service to use in river and flash flood forecasts. For more information, visit www.cocorahs.org
