A recorder in the gage records each tip and the time it occurred. The tipping bucket gage has its disadvantages, however. It cannot be used in freezing weather because the mechanism or the funnel hole can freeze solid. Sometimes the tipper mechanism doesn't work or double tips. A standard rain gage consists of only three parts, a funnel, a can, and a measuring tube.
Rain fall into the funnel and into the measuring tube.
Since the funnel is wider than the measuring tube, the depth of water in the measuring tube would be greater than if the tube was as wide as the funnel. This allows rainfall to be measured to the nearest 0.01 inch. When frozen precipitation is expected, the funnel and measuring tube are removed, and the precipitation is collected in the can. To measure the liquid equivalent of the frozen precipitation, the contents of the can are melted and poured into the measuring tube to be measured. Doppler Radar One of the functions of the NWS doppler radars is to estimate rainfall amounts based on the intensity of the radar echoes.