Just inside the back door of Leonard Llewellyn’s modest home in Mattituck is a pair of heavy duty Muck boots, standing at the ready like little soldiers. His coat hangs on a hook nearby.
Llewellyn is prepared.
For the past 60 years, he has been captivated by weather and for over half his life he’s been a cooperative weather observer for the National Weather Service, collecting data in all kinds of conditions. What began as a hobby has turned into a lifelong commitment to contributing to the national database of weather-related information.
One of approximately 9,000 volunteer weather observers throughout the country, Llewellyn monitors rainfall, temperature, snowfall and barometric pressure at his home in Mattituck, then relays his findings to the National Weather Service. According to the NWS, the Cooperative Network has been recognized as the most definitive source of information on U.S. climate trends for temperature and precipitation.
“We are the eyes and the ears of the National Weather Service,” says Llewellyn.
Llewellyn’s fascination with the weather began when he was just a young teen.
“When I was about 14 years old I bought a Golden book about weather and I read that and then in the ’60s I built my first weather station. I kept that going until about 1971.”
Circumstances prevented Llewellyn from keeping an active station again until about 1988 when he resumed his post. As evidenced by a collection of rain gauges, snow boards, and other data-collecting equipment sprinkled throughout his yard, Llewellyn takes his job seriously. It is not unusual to find him out in his yard in the middle of storm gathering data.
Consisting almost entirely of volunteers, the cooperative weather observer program draws people from all walks of life, some living in cities, some in rural areas.
“Each of us has a different background. [I knew] one guy who was a meteorology teacher; we had another person who was a lab technician. We had a couple of people who ran their own businesses. But the one main thing was that we all had an interest in the weather.”
So why would someone volunteer to venture out into storms gathering data, monitor a half dozen machines, write up monthly reports and spend his own money on equipment?
For Llewellyn it’s all part of a lifelong commitment to public service.
A devoted member of the Mattituck Fire Department for 46 years, Llewellyn is perhaps best known for teaching the safe boating course to generations of North Forkers, something he’s been doing as a volunteer since July 1962.
“In 1960 I happened to see an announcement in the paper that they were looking for instructors. So myself and my father went down to then Riverhead High School — now the Pulaski Street School — and a rep from the state came down and we got certified. The first class we held was at the park district ramp at Love Lane; we had in excess of 50 students, says Llewellyn.” He continues to teach the course once or twice a year and in 2010 he was honored for his 50 years of instruction.
Llewellyn readily admits that many of his methods for collecting data are low tech, but they have withstood the test of time.
Measuring rain is the easiest; collecting data on snowfall can be tough. After a snowfall, Llewellyn takes a core sample from several snow boards — small bases with reflectors attached to plastic posts – and proceeds to measure.
“I take it inside and put a plastic bag over it and wait until the snow melts. Then I measure the amount of water. They’re interested in what they call the water equivalent. Basically it’s close to a 10:1 ratio. Ten inches of snow would give you one inch of water.”
Llewellyn’s face lights up and he becomes animated while talking about weather; his enthusiasm is unmistakable.
When asked about the rewards of spending so much time and money on weather-watching, Llewellyn is humble.
“We’re giving them [the NWS] information that it would be almost impossible for them to get. Sometimes they’ll call and say, ‘Listen, thanks for your report because it’s really important.'”
And that’s all the reward Leonard Llewellyn needs.
