Support Main Page > Version 6.0 > Why can't I get live snowfall data? >

Why can't I get live snowfall data?

Getting accurate snow measurements is labor intensive and can often be unreliable, even from dedicated volunteers. Currently, snow measurements at National Weather Service offices are taken using the old fashioned ruler measurement. A National Weather Service employee will take a set of measurements from various spots on a hard surface (not grass) and average the readings for the snow cover amount. Many offices have an elevated surface they use for current snowfall and after each measurement the surface will be cleared so snowfall rates can be determined. Snowfall reports by the NWS offices are totaled for climate data, but reliable daily measurements are scarce and hard to come by and most daily snow amounts are not current and only become available the next day.

Since WeatherBug weather stations report live data, not once every few hours like some TV forecasts, it is impossible to determine snow amounts with the accuracy that our customers have come to expect from WeatherBug. Measuring liquid precipitation and converting to snow amounts is unreliable because the liquid to snow ratio can range from 1:5 to as high as 1:40 (40” of snow melts to one inch of liquid), depending on whether the snow was ‘wet’ or light, dry powder.

WeatherBug does offer a snow cover map in the SNOW & SKI section under the Health & Outdoors tab (during winter months only). This map gives the amount of snow on the ground across the country in a contoured format.

If this did not answer your question, please submit a Support Request Form.