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Concept
Snow gauge
Summary
A snow gauge is a type of instrument used by meteorologists and hydrologists to gather and measure the amount of solid precipitation (as opposed to liquid precipitation, which is measured by a rain gauge) over a set period of time.
The first use of snow gauges were precipitation gauges that was widely used in 1247 during the Southern Song dynasty to gather meteorological data. The Song Chinese mathematician and inventor Qin Jiushao records the use of gathering rain and snowfall measurements in the Song mathematical treatise Mathematical Treatise in Nine Sections. The book discusses the use of large conical or barrel-shaped snow gauges made from bamboo situated in mountain passes and uplands, which are speculated to be first referenced to snow measurement.
The snow gauge consists of two parts: a copper catchment container; and the funnel-shaped gauge itself. The actual gauge is mounted on a pipe outdoors and is approximately in height, while the container is in length.
When snow is collected, the container is removed and replaced with a spare one. The snow is then melted while it is still in the container, and then poured into a glass measuring graduate. While the depth of snow is normally measured in centimetres, the measurement of melted snow (water equivalent) is in millimetres.
An estimate of the snow depth can be obtained by multiplying the water equivalent by a factor of 10. This multiplier can vary over a wide range, however, with many citing a range from 5 to 30, while the National Snow and Ice Data Center has quoted a range as wide as from 3 to 100. Any proposed factor depends on the water content of the snow (how "dry" it is), so this at best provides only a rough estimate of snow depth.
The snow gauge suffers from the same problem as that of the rain gauge when conditions are windy. If the wind is strong enough, then the snow may be blown across the wind gauge, and the amount of snow fallen will be under-reported. However, due to the shape and size of the funnel, this is a minor problem.
Official source
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