Lorton precipitation amounts August 19-25, 2013; citizen weather observers needed

A SmartPhone application called mPing (Meteorological Phenomena Identification Near the Ground (mPING) allows users to send National Weather Service researchers reports of the weather actually occurring at their location.  Users with the mPING app select the type of weather and submit a report. The user’s location and the time of the observation are automatically included, and they can send reports every minute if they choose.

These reports are being used to increase the accuracy of the radar algorithms that determine what’s what in the data returns.  The National Weather Service in 2012 fielded a new radar system, and one of the promises of this new system was an improved ability to  to discriminate between different precipitation types in winter precipitation events, i.e. is it raining or snowing?  Unfortunately, the automated observing systems cannot distinguish the difference between some of the more important types, and so human observers are needed. No special training is required for us to know the difference between wet and icy things falling from the sky, and so the weather service is seeking our help with reports.  

Details can be found at the mPing homepage.  The application is available for Android or iPhone.