The problem with max depth is that you need to be retired and/or have no life to accurately capture that consistently.
Why are airports permitted to employ the 6 hourly method and not any other entity or person?
I'm sorry, Tom is a smart kid, but in a large event like that, peak depth is not an accurate assessment of snowfall....want to know what Is? The amount of snow that FELL from the sky...no $hit.
If they want peak storm depth, then ask for that.
Less than 32 is not the only way to lose snow to settling compacting...the high ratio snow compacts and sublimated a good deal in high ratio, protracted events.
Sell that to the LES guys who "get" 50, but measure 35.
This was a case like that, Tom.