How to
Measure Snow Depth |
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If you are visiting a snow covered area or town and you
want to get an idea of how much snow is on the ground, make sure you
don't measure the drift snow. Drift snow is usually snow that has blown
against an object and settled there for example snow settled against
trees, rocks or roadside gutters or even in gardens. Sure its fun to
measure snow in these places but it wont give you a clear representation
of the average amount of settled snow in the area. Look for a place that
is fairly open (not football ovals, roads or paddocks exposed to wind and
melt) that is free from trees and other obstacles and make a few
measurements in different spots with your fingers, if you don't have a
ruler. I know the exact measurement from the tip of my index finger to the
first crease, which comes in handy in these situations :) As a rough guide
in Australia, one centimetre of snow usually equates to 1mm of rain, ie: a
moderate fall of say, 5cm of snow, is equal to around 5mm of rain falling.
Remember, the snow in most places outside of the Australian Alps melts
very quickly, so even the above method wont really indicate how much snow
has actually fallen, just how much is left on the
ground.
Measuring Falling Snow
The method I now use is
to place a piece of plywood in a level place in my yard which is protected
from strong winds (strong winds can blow snow away) and not likely to be
in an eddy situation (where winds swirl around, re-depositing the same
snow). Also, try to keep the board away from depressions in the ground
where snow can accumulate to exaggerated depths. During a snowfall,
regularly wipe the board clear, measuring the snow that has accumulated,
in centimetres. If you don't measure the snow regularly, say every hour or
so in heavier falls, the snow will tend to pack down and melt, (especially
Blue Mountains snow) which will then affect the accuracy of your
measurements. Also, if you watch the snow as it falls onto the board, you
will get an idea of what might be drift snow and what is actual falling
snow.
Thanks to Laurier Williams - Australian Weather News -
for recommending the plywood method to
me.
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