User:Milton Beychok/Sandbox

Rainfall is usually "reported" as inches of rain. However, what is really being measured in a rain gauge is cubic inches of rain.

Read page 263 of John William Moore (2007), Meteorology Practical and Applied, Nord Press, ISBN 1-4086-2788-4 which states:

"When we speak of an inch of rain, we mean that sufficient has fallen to fill to overflowing a vessel which is 1 inch in length, 1 inch in breadth and 1 inch in width - that is, a volume of 1 cubic inch."

Also read the Procedures section on page 1 of the pdf at http://www.earthsciweek.org/calendar/0809files/July2009.pdf which states:

"Rain gauges measure the amount of rain in cubic inches"

If I had the time to spare, I could refer you to many similar references

Keep in mind that rain gauges with cross-sections smaller or larger than 1 square inch are marked 1 at height equal to 1 cubic inch, 2 at a height equal to 2 cubic inchs, 3 at a hieght equal to 3 inches, etc.