SPOKANE - Want to receive an accurate rain or snow report for your area? How about giving one?

You can report the rain, snow, and hail measured in your own back yard by joining the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS).

CoCoRaHS is a non-profit, community-based network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation.

Ellie Kelch and Robin Fox, forecasters at the National Weather Service Spokane office, serve as regional CoCoRaHS coordinators for north Idaho and eastern Washington.

"We plan to target community groups, weather enthusiasts and area schools with the goal of having at least one CoCoRaHS station in each small city or town," Fox said.

Kelch noted weather can vary greatly over short distances, especially across the diverse region of eastern Washington and north Idaho. The goal is to provide the high quality and valuable precipitation data to many different users, including researchers, educators, meteorologists and climatologists.

This precipitation network started about 15 years ago in Colorado after a devastating flash flood hit Fort Collins. In the years since, CoCoRaHS now includes thousands of volunteers nationwide in all 50 states and parts of Canada.

Washington joined the ranks in June 2008 and Idaho in January 2009. CoCoRaHS is currently looking for more volunteers across eastern Washington and north Idaho.

For more information about CoCoRaHS and how you can volunteer, please visit http://www.cocorahs.org or contact the National Weather Service Spokane at (509) 244-0110 ext 221.