Wet snow Monday Dec 14, 2020?

[wdrag]

2 hours ago, mgerb said:

I'd just add that this page is a bit outdated, since it allows for 6-hourly board clearings. Current NWS guidelines have removed that option, unless specifically requested from your local WFO (e.g., airport stations). See pages 6-9 here: 

https://www.weather.gov/media/coop/Snow_Measurement_Guidelines-2014.pdf

Wow... not sure when that changed?  I do think this will suppress amounts do to settling, drifting.  Up through March 2018, it was clear the board every 6.  Anyway, you're saying 24 hrs... that's what it is.  Thanks! Walt

[IrishRob17]

15 minutes ago, gravitylover said:

Yeah that 24 hour number is going to be wrong too often around here. Sure maybe if it's 16 degrees with no wind and perfect antecedent conditions it will give you a close enough reading but here that will frequently leave you with half or less compared to what actually fell. I don't make official reports but will continue to use the max depth numbers for myself and my entertainment and will modify the timing on checking that depth as the temp and p-type fluctuates throughout a storm because it's almost never consistent here.

That’s why the instructions say to measure when the snow stops...

[mgerb]

17 minutes ago, wdrag said:

Wow... not sure when that changed?  I do think this will suppress amounts do to settling, drifting.  Up through March 2018, it was clear the board every 6.  Anyway, you're saying 24 hrs... that's what it is.  Thanks! Walt

That guide actually came out in late 2013. Maybe some WFOs disseminated and adopted more strictly than others. 

[wdrag]

Results via CoCoRAHS yesterday - my non CoCoRAHS in Wantage was 0.9"  I hear Randolph NJ had at least an inch... my senior softball practice group cancelled todays practice due to snow cover. We  still have a 0.5 to 0.8" left.  Updated maps provided 250PM. 

 

[LibertyBell]

On 12/14/2020 at 6:35 PM, mgerb said:

That guide actually came out in late 2013. Maybe some WFOs disseminated and adopted more strictly than others. 

You'd be the right person to ask this then- was the JFK measurement of over 30" for the Jan 2016 HECS an end of storm total (that is, total snow cover at that time?)

 

[LibertyBell]

On 12/14/2020 at 1:42 PM, jfklganyc said:

End. Always end  unless you are in a 1996 scenario and you’re going for broke to see how much is on ground at once

wasn't the 1996 storm all snow?  didn't break that record until 2016 here although 2003 came close.

 

[LibertyBell]

On 12/14/2020 at 2:11 PM, Juliancolton said:

No, per the document Rob linked to:

"This measurement should reflect the greatest accumulation of new snow observed (in inches and tenths, for example, 3.9 inches) within the past 24 hours even if this total occurs at a time preceding the regularly scheduled observation time."

So the goal is to get as close as possible to maximum depth from the event, OR to clear and measure after 24 hours, if required.

That said, everyone seems to have their own methodology. I follow the above guideline except (for my personal records) in situations where additional snowfall is expected to follow a temporary p-type change. So if I get 3", then a period of rain, then another 3", with depth never exceeding 4", I'll record it as 6" instead of 4". Again, though, I adhere to the standard protocol more closely when reporting to the NWS.

so that 30.9 measurement at JFK in the Jan 2016J storm would've been max snow depth at the end?