A rain guage is an instrument used by meteorologists, scientists, and people in general to measure the amount of precipitation that falls as a result of inclement weather patterns.  Most rain guages collect the precipitation, usually rain, and measure it against some type of scale, metric for most of the world, English for the United States.  I have a rain guage mounted on a utility pole outside my school.  It consists of a large exterior tube, a smaller interior tube with graduated markings, and a funnel that captures the rain and conducts it into the interior tube.  The graduated markings are in tenths of an inch; when the interior tube is completely full, it represents one inch of rainfall.  The exterior tube serves as an overflow catch in the event of multiple inches of rainfall.  To measure the excessive rainfall, simply disassemble the interior tube and funnel, pour out the first inch of rainwater, then measure the oveflow in the exterior tube by pouring it into the interior tube.  The largest amount I have ever measured was 5.54 inches of rainfall over a weekend.

Structure of a Rain Gauge

A rain gauge is a meteorological instrument used to measure the amount of precipitation, specifically rainfall, in a given area. It consists of a few key components that work together to accurately collect and measure rainfall.

Outer Cylinder
The rain gauge typically has an outer cylinder that is usually made of plastic or metal. It serves as a protective covering for the inner components of the gauge and helps to shield them from external factors such as wind and debris.

Inner Measuring Cylinder
Inside the outer cylinder, there is an inner measuring cylinder. This cylinder is usually made of glass or plastic and is calibrated with markings to measure the amount of rainfall. The inner cylinder is open at the top to collect rainwater.

Funnel
On top of the inner measuring cylinder, there is a funnel-shaped opening. The purpose of the funnel is to direct the rainfall into the inner cylinder, ensuring that all the collected water is accurately measured.

Overflow Tube
In case of heavy rainfall, there is an overflow tube attached to the inner cylinder. This tube helps to prevent the water from overflowing and ensures that the rain gauge can still accurately measure the rainfall even during intense downpours. The overflow tube allows excess water to flow out of the gauge, preventing it from interfering with the measurement.

Support Base
The rain gauge is typically placed on a support base, which can be a stake or a stand. The support base keeps the gauge stable and ensures that it is not easily knocked over or affected by wind or other external factors.

Mounting Bracket
To securely mount the rain gauge, there is often a mounting bracket included. This bracket allows the gauge to be attached to a post, fence, or other structure. It helps to keep the rain gauge in a fixed position, ensuring accurate and consistent measurements.

Conclusion
The structure of a rain gauge consists of an outer cylinder, inner measuring cylinder, funnel, overflow tube, support base, and mounting bracket. These components work together to accurately collect and measure rainfall, providing valuable data for meteorological analysis and forecasting.

You use a rain gauge,you make sure that you visit the weather station everyday, you remove the funnel and take out the collecting jar in the rain gauge and empty the water into the measuring cylinder, place the measuring cylinder in a flat surface like a table,lower your eyes to the level of the water and below the meniscus, take reading and record the readings.