Jim McMahon/Mapman® (map)
Time to break out your umbrellas! Spring is the rainiest season in many parts of the U.S. One of the wettest American cities is Mobile, Alabama. It receives an average of 65 inches of rain every year. That’s more than 5 feet of water!
Weather scientists track rainfall so they can better predict when serious storms will hit. Measuring rainfall also helps scientists learn which areas are at risk for flooding or droughts. You can use a line plot like the one on the right to display and analyze rainfall data.
For one week this April, try tracking the amount of rainfall in your hometown. Place an empty cup outside where it can collect rain. Each day, use a ruler to measure and record the amount of water in the cup, then empty it. Measure the water at the same time each day. Make a line plot of the results. How does your town’s data compare with Mobile’s?