<p>You are on the right track.  Rain gauges measure rainfall as a linear measure.  Consequently, 2 mm of rainfall is the same as saying that the <em>measured depth</em> of water that would have <em>accrued</em> due to rainfall is 2 mm. You do not need to convert the rain gauge area because the rain gauge has been calibrated to give you the correct measured depth of rainfall as a linear measure, in this case, in mm.</p>
<p>So you have this rain gauge in a field, say an agricultural field, of a known specific area. <em>The volume</em> of the rainfall is simply the depth times the area.  To keep the units consistent, convert 2 mm to meters, and do the math.  Here is an example for a field 300 m by 200 m, using a 2 mm rainfall measured with your tipping bucket rain gauge -</p>
<ul>
<li>Field area           300 m  x  200 m   or   30000 sq meters</li>
<li>rainfall             2/1000 meters</li>
<li>Volume rainfall      30000 m x 2/1000 m  =  <span class="math-container">$60 m^3$</span></li>
</ul>
<p>This was a great question!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-26T11:59:43.773Z
This is great-thanks for explaining it!
eH156683
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-25T21:58:58.093Z
2021-11-25T21:58:58.093Z
Thomas Perry
<p>I am trying to calculate total daily rainfall based on data from a tipping bucket rain gauge which is calibrated to a tip of 0.2mm. I have data giving the exact time that a tip is recorded and have summed the number of tips per day.</p>
<p>I am getting myself confused when converting between mm and ml. I understand that the rainfall height is simply 0.2mm x the number of tips in a 24 hour period. Where I am getting confused is converting this number to total daily rainfall in ml. I am interested in looking at variations in runoff generation for some field-scale runoff plots. I have the area measurement for the rain gauge (214 cm²). Do I need to convert for the field area where the gauge is situated as well when calculating the total daily rainfall? I feel like it can't be as simple as whatever the rainfall height is (in mm) converted to ml.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-25T22:51:58.443Z
See also [What does a mm of rain mean?](https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/14587/what-does-a-mm-of-rain-mean)... as the other inputs says, to get a volume, you need to consider what area you want the volume of rainfall for.  10 mm of rain puts down more volume if it is a wide storm over a whole city versus a small-scale peak over a small field.
JeopardyTempest
<meteorology><rainfall><rain><runoff>
Calculating total daily rainfall from a tipping bucket rain gauge
eH156683
# Calculating total daily rainfall from a tipping bucket rain gauge

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-11-25)

I am trying to calculate total daily rainfall based on data from a tipping bucket rain gauge which is calibrated to a tip of 0.2mm. I have data giving the exact time that a tip is recorded and have summed the number of tips per day.

I am getting myself confused when converting between mm and ml. I understand that the rainfall height is simply 0.2mm x the number of tips in a 24 hour period. Where I am getting confused is converting this number to total daily rainfall in ml. I am interested in looking at variations in runoff generation for some field-scale runoff plots. I have the area measurement for the rain gauge (214 cm²). Do I need to convert for the field area where the gauge is situated as well when calculating the total daily rainfall? I feel like it can't be as simple as whatever the rainfall height is (in mm) converted to ml.

Thanks

**Tags:** meteorology, rainfall, rain, runoff

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: See also [What does a mm of rain mean?](https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/14587/what-does-a-mm-of-rain-mean)... as the other inputs says, to get a volume, you need to consider what area you want the volume of rainfall for.  10 mm of rain puts down more volume if it is a wide storm over a whole city versus a small-scale peak over a small field.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-11-25. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

You are on the right track. Rain gauges measure rainfall as a linear measure. Consequently, 2 mm of rainfall is the same as saying that the *measured depth* of water that would have *accrued* due to rainfall is 2 mm. You do not need to convert the rain gauge area because the rain gauge has been calibrated to give you the correct measured depth of rainfall as a linear measure, in this case, in mm.

So you have this rain gauge in a field, say an agricultural field, of a known specific area. *The volume* of the rainfall is simply the depth times the area. To keep the units consistent, convert 2 mm to meters, and do the math. Here is an example for a field 300 m by 200 m, using a 2 mm rainfall measured with your tipping bucket rain gauge -

* Field area 300 m x 200 m or 30000 sq meters
* rainfall 2/1000 meters
* Volume rainfall 30000 m x 2/1000 m = $60 m^3$

This was a great question!

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: This is great-thanks for explaining it!  

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