The cooperative stations have instruments to measure precipitation amounts and the maximum and minimum temperature. The precipitation is measured with a 8 inch nonrecurring rain gage and the temperature is recorded with a liquid-in-glass maximum and minimum thermometer located in a cotton region shelter or the temperature is record with a maximum/minimum temperature system (MMTS) which is an electronic sensor located in a bee hive type shelter connected to a electronic recorder that records the maximum and minimum temperature since being reset.  Some cooperator stations have evaporation pans, recording rain gages, anemometers next to the evaporation pan, and soil temperature measured as one or more depths.