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Minnesotans are weather-obsessed. I mean it in the warmest way possible. 

We’re a state of weather geeks. I count myself in that group. To me, it’s a compliment of sorts. And it’s not surprising given that weather whiplash has become a staple in Minnesota’s weather vocabulary.  

Our extreme weather swings and storms are legendary water cooler and grocery checkout line small talk. Ask a Minnesotan what a polar vortex or a wall cloud is and they’ll probably nail it. 

It’s amazing how much the typical Minnesotan has learned about weather since I started this weather career nearly 40 years ago. Watching meteorologists explain our amazing weather is one reason I dove head-first into my 20-year TV and nearly 20-year radio weather career. 

So it’s no big surprise that Minnesota has led the nation in weather observers for the past four years. How do we know that?

 is the acronym for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network.

Here’s how CoCoRaHS describes its mission:

Minnesota State Climatologist Luigi Romolo reached out to remind me that Minnesota has won the CoCoRaHS cup for the past four years. It’s given to the state with the most new weather observer volunteers. It seems like a good topic for Updraft so here we are. 

They are particularly looking for volunteers in greater Minnesota outside the Twin Cities area. So what do you have to do to become a CoCoRaHS weather observer? 

So if weather observing is in your wheelhouse, this might be a good time to become a Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network volunteer weather observer.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Minnesota has led the nation for the past four years in adding weather observers to the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network. 

Weather-obsessed Minnesota leads the nation in weather observers

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