32-Year Winter Storm Archive Complete

[Ginx snewx]

18 minutes ago, IrishRob17 said:

You mentioned "it was the 24 hour method"? How are you measuring these days, do you clear the board ever 6 hours? It's the constant debate whether we should clear every 6 or 24 hours and in the last NWS guidance @NorthShoreWx and I have found the 6 hour method is out for hobbiests like ourselves. 

Every 6

[NorthShoreWx]

2 hours ago, Ginx snewx said:

Totally under measured as it was the 24 hr method.

It's not technically an under-measurement if the observer is following the standard that they are supposed too.  The problem is that there are different standards for different types of observers.  I'll never beat ISP in a big storm unless they rain and I don't because they are supposed to wipe the board every 6 hours and I am not.  In the most recent storm, ISP reported 13.2" and I had 11.4".  I don't think they had more snow than I did (plus we snowed heavily a little longer before changeover to sleet), but both measurements can be technically correct.

I suspect the once in 24 hours max depth standard might be designed to make it easier for observers, plus in some instances (not all) it is a more accurate way to portray the snowfall.  Wiping the board more often makes sense for airports because it relates more directly to wiping the snow from runways.  It is frustrating that we can't do apples to apples comparisons, especially when doing projects like The 4 Seasons is doing.

For my money, snow depth and LE of the snowpack are the best way to compare between sites.

[CoastalWx]

@The 4 Seasons 

 

[IrishRob17]

21 minutes ago, NorthShoreWx said:

It's not technically an under-measurement if the observer is following the standard that they are supposed too.  The problem is that there are different standards for different types of observers.  I'll never beat ISP in a big storm unless they rain and I don't because they are supposed to wipe the board every 6 hours and I am not.  In the most recent storm, ISP reported 13.2" and I had 11.4".  I don't think they had more snow than I did (plus we snowed heavily a little longer before changeover to sleet), but both measurements can be technically correct.

I suspect the once in 24 hours max depth standard might be designed to make it easier for observers, plus in some instances (not all) it is a more accurate way to portray the snowfall.  Wiping the board more often makes sense for airports because it relates more directly to wiping the snow from runways.  It is frustrating that we can't do apples to apples comparisons, especially when doing projects like The 4 Seasons is doing.

For my money, snow depth and LE of the snowpack are the best way to compare between sites.

If I did the every 6 hours thing my 38.5" YTD would be closer to 50".

[Ginx snewx]

2 minutes ago, IrishRob17 said:

If I did the every 6 hours thing my 38.5" YTD would be closer to 50".

Do you want to measure the amount of snow that fell or just compacted snow. 24 hrs with say a 8 hrs snow event.  I measure 6 and then 2. The next day after either melting or drying out your measure could for arguments sake be 5 inches. That's what often happened in the record book. So how much snow actually fell . I say 8

[IrishRob17]

21 minutes ago, Ginx snewx said:

Do you want to measure the amount of snow that fell or just compacted snow. 24 hrs with say a 8 hrs snow event.  I measure 6 and then 2. The next day after either melting or drying out your measure could for arguments sake be 5 inches. That's what often happened in the record book. So how much snow actually fell . I say 8

Agreed, if one waits hours after its done to measure its going to be off. You always measure at the end of the event, so in that case I measure after 8 hours because the storm is over. You also need to measure at the point there's a change in precipitation type. I'm a snowpack guy anyway so what truly matters to me is what is at the stake each day.