New Year Beginning

Most people consider January 1st as the first day of the New Year, but October 1st is the beginning of the New Water Year, but collecting and recording data in the form of all moisture begins at this time instead of in the middle of winter.
In a message from our CoCoRaHs (Community Collaborative Rain Hail & Snow Network) team leader,

…We (the CoCoRaHS team) keep track of annual rainfall totals using the “Water-Year” definition. Our year starts October 1 and ends September 30. Why? Well it makes a lot of sense out West, but it’s practical in many other parts of the country, too. Winter (Oct-March) when evaporation rates are lower, tends to be our water storage season. For the mountains it’s the snow accumulation season. Then April-September is the growing season where vegetation grows and evapotranspiration rates rise and often equal or exceed precipitation…
Nolan Doesken and the CoCoRaHS team
NOAA’s Weather Ready Nation Ambassador Program
Colorado State University

Reporting stations use October 1 as the reset button to start the next year of reporting. It is not just the citizen science programs that are using the out-of-norm date, you may notice your local news reporting Water-Year accumulations.
Check with your local Extension Agent if you are interested in learning more or participating in the program.
Happy New Year! (and remember to reset your gauges)