Weather Instruments
Home Rain Gauge Guide: Placement, Reading, and Common Mistakes
How to place and read a home rain gauge, why siting matters, and what causes bad rainfall measurements.
Quick answer: A rain gauge needs open exposure, level placement, and distance from roofs, trees, fences, and splash sources to measure well.
Placement
Place the gauge in an open area away from obstacles that block rain or cause splash.
A roof edge or tree canopy can make totals much too high or too low.
Reading
Read at the same time each day if tracking daily rainfall, and empty the gauge after reading.
For heavy rain, make sure the gauge capacity is high enough or check more often.
Common errors
Wind, splash, poor leveling, evaporation, snow, and clogged funnels can affect accuracy.
Even imperfect gauges can be useful if you understand the limitations.