Rainfall Rescue Update - Zooniverse 
Two years ago, at the start of the pandemic lockdown in the UK, Rainfall Rescue was underway. The task was to transcribe 66,000 images containing millions of hand-written monthly rainfall observations taken all over the UK and Ireland between 1677 and 1960.
 
You were one of 16,000+ volunteers who helped – thank you again.
 
We have now released the first results from the project. Thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers, we have made the first 3.3 million rainfall observations available from more than 6,000 locations across the UK and Ireland. We are already working on making the next batch of 1+ million observations available.
 
The data have also been handed over to the Met Office to improve the official national rainfall statistics. We are now able to make detailed maps of rainfall variations across these islands back to 1836 – the year before Queen Victoria ascended to the throne. These maps will help us understand past floods and droughts and plan for future extreme weather.
 
This would not have been possible without all your efforts!
 
Many thanks,
Ed.

PS. We are currently running another project to transcribe observations taken on UK naval ships travelling the oceans in the 1860s. If you would like to join hundreds of other volunteers then join the Weather Rescue at Sea crew: www.WeatherRescue.org
 
LINKS:
The whole story: https://theconversation.com/how-a-deluge-of-lockdown-volunteers-rescued-uks-hidden-weather-history-179610
 
Scientific paper (free to read): https://rmets.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/gdj3.157
 
Open data from Rainfall Rescue: https://zenodo.org/record/5770389
 
Interactive map of locations: https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/5534063/
 
New national rainfall statistics (download): https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-and-regional-series
New national rainfall statistics (graphics): https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-temperature-rainfall-and-sunshine-time-series
 
Blog from the Archives: https://blog.metoffice.gov.uk/2022/03/25/rainfall-rescue-project-bringing-archived-data-back-to-life/
 
Media coverage:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-60860397
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/24/climate/britain-rainfall-historical-data.html