cocorahs

SEGUIN ― This year, winter in South Texas arrived with the Thanksgiving holiday, and for at least right now, it seems to be headed out with the holiday leftovers.

High temperatures that crested in the mid-80s one week ago weren't expected to reach much more than half that figure today.

And rainfall that began before dawn Saturday morning was expected to continue through today before skies clear overnight, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Cammye Sims.

Monday and over the coming week, look for temperatures to moderate into the middle 60-degree range and then into the 70s over the course of the week.

But first, expect it to be chilly and damp when you go out this morning.

"Over in Seguin, you'll see lows this morning in the upper-30s," Sims said.

What was expected to be freezing rain and even some snow in parts of the Hill Country and North Texas will likely be just a frigid rain here, Sims said.

"We're just looking at cold rains in this area," Sims said. "It's possible for a mix of sleet and flurries, but it wouldn't stick on the ground."

Today, Sims said to expect a 90-percent likelihood of rain.

"It'll be pretty much tapering off Sunday night, Sims said.

The next time a chance of rain creeps into the long-term forecast, Sims said, would be next Friday ― just about in time for the weekend. Locally, public safety officials were monitoring the weather situation Saturday, but officials anticipated few, if any problems.

Seguin Police Department Patrol supervisor, Cpl. Mike McCann, said the department was enjoying a quiet Saturday and expected no icing or other weather-related trouble overnight.

"We haven't had any weather-related issues whatsoever," McCann said. "We look like we're in good shape."

It was similar over at the county.

"We're doing fine so far," a Guadalupe County Sheriff's Office dispatcher said early Saturday afternoon.

Seguin Emergency Management Coordinator John Sheppard reported a relatively quiet day.

"It's been pretty slow so far," Sheppard said. "It's cold outside."

At the Seguin Fire Department, Battalion Chief Gerald Weniger reported about the same.

"Knock on wood, it's been quiet," Weniger said.

With this weekend's weather event, National Weather Service Meteorologist Bill Runyon said forecasters will be able to collect more local rainfall data than ever before, thanks to a new network of volunteers who have set up nearly two dozen observation posts in Seguin, New Braunfels, New Berlin, Schertz and elsewhere around the county.

"We've been working really hard on this and we're really excited about it," Runyon said.

The network, started in 1998 in Colorado, has now spread to 25 states, Runyon said, with Louisiana soon to join.

Runyon said. It is called the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS).

Runyon said a recent appeal for help resulted in an increase from six to 21 local volunteers, but more are needed ― particularly in the northern, eastern and southern reaches of the county.

"We'd like to have at least 50 in every county," said Runyon who is CoCoRaHS regional coordinator for the Austin/San Antonio/Del Rio area. "By providing your daily precipitation data, you truly help fill in a 'piece of the puzzle' that affects many in one way or another ― whether it's farmers and ranchers, meteorologists or emergency management personnel."

To become a CoCoRaHS weather observer a volunteer must have Internet access and must be willing to make daily rainfall observations each morning between 6-9 a.m.

For information or to sign up, log on to www.CoCoRaHS.org and click on the "Join CoCoRaHS" button in the upper right side of the main page. You will need to get an inexpensive rainfall gauge that CoCoRaHS will help you acquire.

If you have questions, contact National Weather Service Meteorologist Bill Runyon at William.runyon(at)noaa.gov or Texas State Coordinator Troy Kimmel at tkimmel(at)mail.utexas.edu . PENDLETON - People will have a chance to take part in science with the CoCoRaHS (the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network). The organization, which measures precipitation across the country, is expanding to the Pacific Northwest.

Volunteers of any age can measure and map rain, hail and snow using low-cost measuring tools and an interactive Web site. People can compare precipitation with someone across town or in one of the 23 other states involved in the project.

Those interested in volunteering can visit the organization's Web site at www.cocorahs.org and begin signing up Nov. 19. The Oregon page will become official on Dec. 1. Interested volunteers can also e-mail Rachel Calder, with the National Weather Service, at Rachel.T.Calder@ noaa.gov..