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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Another wolf makes its way into Southern Oregon ... Our View: Let Medford voters decide on marijuana sales ... Reopening of the Siskiyou Line means trucking companies will take a hit ... Another wolf makes its way into Southern Oregon ... Our View: Let Medford voters decide on marijuana sales ... Reopening of the Siskiyou Line means trucking companies will take a hit ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Medford airport and city both dry places Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted May. 24, 2015 at 12:01 AM Updated May 24, 2015 at 12:08 AM Posted May. 24, 2015 at 12:01 AM Updated May 24, 2015 at 12:08 AM » Social News Why do they the rain measurements at the driest place in Medford? It seems they could find a place that is more representative of rainfall so we would get a more accurate picture of what is going on. They also seem to do that in Ashland, too. — Diane W., Ashland According to the folks at the National Weather Service, it is representative of what's going on anywhere else in Medford, Diane, but likely not the rest of the valley. "The airport is is pretty similar to everywhere else in Medford," says meteorologist Brad Schaaf, adding that the city as a whole — not just the airport — is typically one of the driest spots in the region when it comes to storms. Comparatively, the airport is actually a solid spot for measurements, as it's not close to any buildings and is nicely exposed to the elements. "Really one of the better places in our area is the airport," Schaaf says. Whether you agree with the location or not, the equipment installed at the airport is, per Schaaf, extremely accurate, providing up-to-the-minute data and maintained by their crews. "We can very easily trust what it's reporting," he says. That said, the airport is not the sole location for data collection. The agency actually relies on several different data sources across the Rogue Valley. They include Doppler, observation programs like "CoCoRahs" — short for Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow — and a network that incorporates data from other weather stations across the region, maintained by a hodgepodge of government agencies, including the Weather Service, the FAA, and the Oregon Department of Transportation. "We use a lot," Schaaf says. But when it comes to reporting precipitation for Medford, it's the airport site that counts. While Medford is showing below-normal rainfall for the year, Ashland is showing a much damper start. As of Friday, Ashland was 1.4 inches above normal for rainfall since January, which works out to 10.61 inches compared with the norm of 9.13. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted May. 24, 2015 at 12:01 AM Updated May 24, 2015 at 12:08 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501