Become an Amateur Meteorologist.

Measuring rainfall helps you see how much precipitation your area is really getting. If you garden or grow anything, knowing how much rain has fallen helps you decide whether or not you need to water your plants.

You can easily measure rainfall by reusing your Anthora paper coffee cup.  Use a ruler and marker to mark a scale on the outside – start from the bottom and mark every half centimeter or quarter inch.  Place the cup on a flat, open surface outdoors, away from trees or buildings that might block or alter the rain.  To prevent it from tipping over in the wind, you can weigh it down with small pebbles or tape it in place.

After a rainstorm, check how much water has collected in the cup.  You can either read the water level from your marked scale or measure the depth directly with a ruler. Record your findings, and if you're interested in tracking patterns, repeat the process regularly. This simple method offers a surprisingly accurate way to observe and measure rainfall at home without any special equipment.