Iowa, Here Is The Best Way To Measure Snowfall This Winter

There's no time like snow time.

One question we always ask after a round of flurries: "how much did we get?"

Our friends at KWQC are good about getting close estimates on how many inches (or heaven forbid, feet) of snow we're going to get. But if you want to measure how much you got (or will get) at your house or work, there's a clear, accurate way to do it.

Make It Accurate

The National Weather Service has a set of guidelines to help you do that.

They suggest that you take the measurements at places that don't get snow drifts. That also includes spots that are sheltered from the weather.

Here are the basics:

• Get a snow board (not a literal snowboard, just a 24"x16" piece of 1/2" or 3/4" plywood painted white)
  • You can also use a picnic table or the deck
• Put the snow board somewhere that won't get snow drifts or wonky measurements
• Mark where you put it with a flag or stake
• Push a yardstick straight into the ground until it hits the snow board
• Record the measurement to the nearest tenth of an inch

That's the overall snowfall measurement. There are 2 more categories that you can keep track of: liquid equivalent snowfall (reported in hundredths of an inch), which is the amount of water in newly fallen snow and the snow depth (reported to the nearest inch, measured generally around 7:00 a.m. after the snow).

So the biggest thing is just making sure you're measuring snow on an even surface that isn't prone to snow build-up or protection. Hopefully we won't have to get the yardstick out that much this season.