Measuring snow
Dennis and Lydia Buechler of Huntsville measure the snow in their front yard following the January 2011 snowstorm. A total of six inches of snow fell at the Buechlers' house. (File photo)
Want to know how much snow you get with today's winter storm, but not sure how to get an accurate measurement?
The National Weather Service offers several tips on how to do it right:
- To start off, you will need a ruler and a flat surface that does not produce any heat.
- If your yard is uneven, placing a wooden board down on the ground before the snow begins will help. Be sure to mark your board's location so you can find it again after the snow stops.
- If you don't have a board, a flat surface like a picnic table or deck will suffice.
- Take your measurements at a spot where snow drifts do not accumulate. If your yard is made up of drifts of varying sizes, take measurements in different spots, then calculate the average of those spots.
- Do not take measurements in areas that are sheltered from the snow, like under trees or next to buildings.
- Push your ruler straight down into the snow, perpendicular to the ground, until it hits the flat surface you are using.
- Newly fallen snow is recorded in 10ths of an inch. The total depth of the snow on the ground is reported to the nearest whole inch.
Here are some Alabama residents who are doing it right.