Air temperature impacts how much snow we get?
Does air temperature impact how much snow we get?
Yes, it does. And the best way to figure out how much you will get is
to understand how the rain to snow ratio works. Read what follows, it
will make sense to you.
From WFMZ.com:
Snowfall amounts vary with temperature. At 32 degrees Fahrenheit the
water to snow ratio is equivalent to roughly 1" of rain to 10" of
snow.
However, the colder the air, the higher the ratio.
Therefore, at 0 degrees Fahrenheit, 1" of rain can produce as much as
40" of snow!!!!
On the other hand -- from Mythbuster on nbcphiladelphia.com:
"When it snows 10 inches does that actually equal one inch of rain?"
I'm sure you've heard that claim. It is a commonly shared belief that
seems to get regurgitated every time it pours cats and dogs or snows
feet.
But, is the legend true?
The quick answer: sometimes.
When the temperature is around 30 degrees, one inch of liquid
precipitation would fall as 10 inches of snow -- assuming the storm is
all snow.
But, the amount of moisture in each snowflake differs depending on the
temperature changing the snow to rain ratio.
For example, our big December snowstorm occurred with temperatures
closer to 25 degrees. During that storm the snow ratio was closer to
15 inches of snow to one inch of rain. We had 1.75 inches of "liquid
equivalent," yet ended up with 23.2 inches of snow, not 17.5 inches of
accumulation.
In fact, I took this into account when forecasting 15 to 25 inches
from the Philadelphia area southward for the storm. We even showed a
graphic on-air explaining those estimates.
We've had storms with snow closer to 20 degrees -- moving the snow
ratio closer to 20 to one. And, when it's warmer (35 to 40 degrees),
the ratio moves to 5:1.
So, when someone claims that it's 10:1, PERIOD, you can tell him or
her that they're wrong.
I don't really care. Its going to fall on the ground no matter what
the temperature is, and I'm the one who has to go out there and shovel
it.
Yes, it does. And the best way to figure out how much you will get is
to understand how the rain to snow ratio works. Read what follows, it
will make sense to you.
From WFMZ.com:
Snowfall amounts vary with temperature. At 32 degrees Fahrenheit the
water to snow ratio is equivalent to roughly 1" of rain to 10" of
snow.
However, the colder the air, the higher the ratio.
Therefore, at 0 degrees Fahrenheit, 1" of rain can produce as much as
40" of snow!!!!
On the other hand -- from Mythbuster on nbcphiladelphia.com:
"When it snows 10 inches does that actually equal one inch of rain?"
I'm sure you've heard that claim. It is a commonly shared belief that
seems to get regurgitated every time it pours cats and dogs or snows
feet.
But, is the legend true?
The quick answer: sometimes.
When the temperature is around 30 degrees, one inch of liquid
precipitation would fall as 10 inches of snow -- assuming the storm is
all snow.
But, the amount of moisture in each snowflake differs depending on the
temperature changing the snow to rain ratio.
For example, our big December snowstorm occurred with temperatures
closer to 25 degrees. During that storm the snow ratio was closer to
15 inches of snow to one inch of rain. We had 1.75 inches of "liquid
equivalent," yet ended up with 23.2 inches of snow, not 17.5 inches of
accumulation.
In fact, I took this into account when forecasting 15 to 25 inches
from the Philadelphia area southward for the storm. We even showed a
graphic on-air explaining those estimates.
We've had storms with snow closer to 20 degrees -- moving the snow
ratio closer to 20 to one. And, when it's warmer (35 to 40 degrees),
the ratio moves to 5:1.
So, when someone claims that it's 10:1, PERIOD, you can tell him or
her that they're wrong.
I don't really care. Its going to fall on the ground no matter what
the temperature is, and I'm the one who has to go out there and shovel
it.
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