famartin Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Just watch this video, it covers most things... http://www.erh.noaa....ement_guide.htm To elaborate on the video (and bump this thread with another storm coming): 1 - Measure in an area with limited drifting, AWAY from structures (or at least as far away as possible). An opening in a grove of trees is THE ideal. A deck may *seem* ideal, but proximity of buildings means that it is not (readings likely to be inflated no matter which way the wind is blowing). 2 - Use a snow board to measure on if possible. (A snow board is really any flat, thin, portable surface perhaps 1-2 feet wide by 1-2 feet long or so, painted white. Plywood works best). Measurements on a lawn are likely to be inflated by the underlying grass. Measurements on pavement are likely to be underdone due to melting. 3 - Clear the board at an interval no shorter than once every 6 hours. Absolutely do NOT clear the board hourly. 4 - Snowfall is defined as the maximum accumulation on the board during the 6-hour (or longer if unavoidable) interval between clearing. In other words, you can measure as often as you like as long as you don't clear the board. 5 - If the snow stops or changes to another form of precipitation, measure immediately. Don't wait until you are scheduled to clear the board. 6 - When you clear the board, DO NOT leave it in a hole in the snow. Place it on top of the existing snow cover, elevate it such that it is even with the existing snow cover, or clear the snow away from a LARGE area around the board. Otherwise, blowing and drifting may inflate your readings. 7 - If blowing and drifting is hard to avoid at your location, have multiple boards and use an average of the measurements as your total. Don't rely on just one board. That's all I can think of at this moment... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dosh Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 This should be pinned. Also we should thank the higher powers that this storm should be light on the wind side, so we won't be having many drift measurements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombo82685 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 To elaborate on the video (and bump this thread with another storm coming): . so no measuring on your deck? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 so no measuring on your deck? lol Yes, no deck measurements please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluescat1 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I don't know how you can get a good measurment in near blizzard conditions with everything blowing around.I had absoulutley no snow on my front side walk and 2' drifts in the yard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha5 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Hopefully this clears things up for everyone. Every storm there is one person in my town who reports totals as high as 1.5 times whatever I got.....probably measuring in piles every time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 I don't know how you can get a good measurment in near blizzard conditions with everything blowing around.I had absoulutley no snow on my front side walk and 2' drifts in the yard. I guess I should also mention that measuring snow accurately in a highly developed urban area is close to impossible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluescat1 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I guess I should also mention that measuring snow accurately in a highly developed urban area is close to impossible. I am not that closed in, I have a single house with an entire city block vacant across the street, and a huge bank parking lot on my side, so that is a pretty big area with no buildings or big tress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted January 11, 2011 Author Share Posted January 11, 2011 I am not that closed in, I have a single house with an entire city block vacant across the street, and a huge bank parking lot on my side, so that is a pretty big area with no buildings or big tress. You would probably want to measure in the middle of the vacant block, if possible. I think I've mentioned this before.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Analog96 Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I guess I should also mention that measuring snow accurately in a highly developed urban area is close to impossible. Very true! And when your locale is Elizabeth, NJ, or Trenton, etc, if you're actually measuring where you live, then it HAS to be in an urban location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted January 11, 2011 Author Share Posted January 11, 2011 Very true! And when your locale is Elizabeth, NJ, or Trenton, etc, if you're actually measuring where you live, then it HAS to be in an urban location. You could try a local park if its not too far away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manny Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Yeah, it's so difficult to measure in the city, I just go to a nearby park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 *bump* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Analog96 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 You could try a local park if its not too far away. The park is measuring on grass. That won't solve anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 The park is measuring on grass. That won't solve anything. Obviously you'd want to put a board out first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danstorm Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Obviously you'd want to put a board out first You're really a snow measurement "nit". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Analog96 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Obviously you'd want to put a board out first I'm going to put a board out in a public park that has all of the county cops watching? Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 You're really a snow measurement "nit". Well after seeing the way totals vary across small areas in some of these storms... yeah, I try to be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
famartin Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 I'm going to put a board out in a public park that has all of the county cops watching? Lol. Well you could put it out right as it starts, then no one would notice there's a random white board out there. Anyway it'll be dark by the time it starts so hardly anyone will notice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voyager Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Bumped. This thread, or at least Ray's original post, should be pinned for the storm since there are always new members joining and posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Lightning Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I'm going to put a board out in a public park that has all of the county cops watching? Lol. Are you afraid of a cop? Tell them the truth-we may get some of them to post on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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