When water has collected in the rain gauge and the first frost of the year arrives, it is important to act quickly. If the rainwater in your plastic/glass rain gauge freezes, there is a high risk of damage to the container. The freezing water turns into ice, which expands. Since plastic and glass are hard and do not yield, sooner or later cracks will form or the rain gauge may even burst completely.
There are really only two ways to protect against damage:
1. Empty the rain gauge in good time and bring it into a dry place.
or
2. Use a silicone rain gauge from Forena.
Silicone rain gauges are a new product on the weather observation market and offer numerous advantages. Silicone can expand due to the flexibility of the material and thus give way slightly in an emergency when ice forms. As soon as it gets warmer again, the ice melts and the rain gauge returns to its original shape. In addition, the silicone rain gauge does not require crude oil, is recyclable and sustainable. There is no need for an extra bracket, as a rod holder is integrated in the middle of the rain gauge. All you need is a rod or stick and you can start measuring precipitation all year round.
