Topic: Precip Data - Especially Snow

[Cutty Sark Sailor]

Ready for Winter? (Precip applies all year, actually, but this is concerned with Snow)
Here's one way your CoCoRaHS SNOW & Precip data is used:
Data is modeled from your CCR reports, any PWS MADIS data,
Satellite and other remote reports. If you're also a CCR ET monitor, I believe those
reports are also modeled during the warm months.

NOHRSC will show you all about your location if you're CCR....

one graph out of 8 available, e.g.:


This link willl show you a station's complete data (!) FEB-MAR 2015 as an example:
http://tinyurl.com/pjskfrb

Your CCR station also has a MADIS identifier, which you can find here:
http://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/shef_archive/cocorahs_lookup.html

Try to report Total snowpack depth / SWE at the least every Monday!
That's when NOHRSC looks for the seasonal 'weeklies', especially.
Sending daily doesn't hurt a bit, and can enhance the data. 
Try to always (Daily ?) report new snowfall, with new snow SWE if applicable....(melt)
even if it's Zero or a "single flake trace"  ... that is, if you
see a snowflake fall, change "NA" to "T" even if no accumulation.
You could say that
"Snow, but less than tenth of an inch is a Trace"
Use NA only if you didn't measure, ... report Zero if no snow fell or no flakes observed.
Comments are a big help for winter Precip, especially!

[PaulMy]

Thanks for the links Mike.  I can view my CAN-ON-31 graphs but no MADIS identifier for CAN yet.

I have been reporting daily on snow fall, water equivalent, and accumulation depth daily, but only intermittent on core sampling - usually once a week but not always on the same weekday and will try for coming winter to do it more regularly on the same weekday.

The CoCoRaHS program participation numbers has been growing very well in Ontario from early 2014 (I joined February 1, 2014) to now nearly 250.  Most of these are in the agricultural sector and also several from Conservation Authorities and Provincial Forestry ministry.

One thing that I was reminded of at a CoCoRaHS area meeting/training session is that the precipitation reporting should be continued throughout the 12 months and use 0.0 instead of NA if actually observed, including for snow.  So now I replace NA for my snow information to 0.0 every day.

We'd like to remind you of the importance of reporting zeroes
 As Ontario has now finally had a full week or almost 2 weeks of sunshine and little to no rain, it is important to still record zeros as it could signify dry periods or drought. This Information can be used for future analysis. For example, in the prairies they are experiencing a very severe drought and volunteers who have been recording zeroes in the area can track if its been a full month or more with no moisture and the severity of its impact.

Paul

[CNYWeather]

Mine http://goo.gl/gqaRJR

I dont do the water equiv. I was going to try and start that this year.

[LFWX]

Example from January 3, 2014 at my location attached below.

URL http://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/interactive/html/graph.html?station=D1039_MADIS&w=600&h=400&o=a&uc=0&data=0&units=0&region=us