Trixology
Weather => General Weather Discussion => Topic started by: Mtn.Marty on January 10, 2017, 07:18:05 PM
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So today it warmed up above freezing and I got 0.4 in of ppt. in WC. Of course that's just melted snow. I've already used the daily snow editor to record my 6.5 inches of snow from a couple of days ago. So, should I be honest and edit the rainfall back to 0 or maybe let it make up for the water content of the snow? An ethical conundrum, no doubt.
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Hi Mtn.Marty,
Not following what you are asking? But...
The water content of snow is different than the depth of the snow. Here in the mountains of Colorado, the water content varies greatly, ranging from .01" of water per inch of snow to around .15" water content per inch of snow. For instance, the last several days I received 29.8" of snow with a melted water content of 1.60". This is .05" of water in the snow to 1" of snow.
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I guess I'm being a bit obtuse with my attempt at humor. I realize the water content of snow is not the same as measuring it's depth. I HAVE measured the depth and added that to the daily snow editor, but yet the snow in the rain gage does melt and produce a reading. After the latest snowstorm that eventually amounted to 0.12 inches in my gage. To be absolutely accurate (and honest, no?) I"d have to delete that from the rainfall calculations as it isn't rain, but melting snow.
So excuse my feeble attempt at humor.
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Since we get so little snow, I didn't even know there was way to enter a snow measurement until last week. [blush] OTOH, I think the more important measurement is the moisture content, which is what you are seeing automatically (minus the amount that evaporates/sublimates). To me, the amount of snow is mainly important to ski lodges and hydrologists plus a few specific others. Myself, I have never used the Snow Editor, we have local ordinances forbidding snow on the ground longer than 48 hours! lol(1) We do encourage rain except during the harvest season! I guess what I am saying is that I would not adjust my "rain" readings.
Of course, in areas where the snow only melts in the Spring, I would think a process of melting the snow would be appropriate to maintain a running figure for "moisture" accumulation (probably on a schedule?). [computer]
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Marty:
I had the same dilemma for several years before I found the real solution. I purchased a heater for my rain collector cup and now I have the snow melt measurement on the same day as the snow fall. It's very nice to be a little more accurate. Unfortunately, only works with the VP2 line. I did a quick search online and there are people out there who are building their own heaters, but again, they are mostly for the VP2 line. Absent a heater, if it doesn't snow very often, use the rain editor to match up the dates, but if this is a regular occurrence, don't worry about it. The snow editor is a cool tool for tracking snowfall but the water content cannot be accurate without a heater.
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Marty:
I had the same dilemma for several years before I found the real solution. I purchased a heater for my rain collector cup and now I have the snow melt measurement on the same day as the snow fall. It's very nice to be a little more accurate. Unfortunately, only works with the VP2 line. I did a quick search online and there are people out there who are building their own heaters, but again, they are mostly for the VP2 line. Absent a heater, if it doesn't snow very often, use the rain editor to match up the dates, but if this is a regular occurrence, don't worry about it. The snow editor is a cool tool for tracking snowfall but the water content cannot be accurate without a heater.
I have a couple of snow boards I take core readings from. Here it is too windy to depend on the weather station for any hint of accuracy.