Calculate the snow height (snowing, average, day, precipitation)

[Mac15]

Hi, we are having another one of those marginal weather periods.

It is 4c outside with a dew-point of 1c. Now, it is snowing on the hills for sure but it is raining down here. Not sure what height it is snowing at though.

So, I know that you can calculate the freezing level. I was wondering is there a possible calculation that can be performed to estimate at what height is the precipitation falling as snow? Nowhere has anything about this and it would be interesting to know so I could use it in the future.

The freezing level is 2500feet today if that will help.

[nei]

I think a skew-T plot would help. Depending on the topography, local effects would make things more complicated.

[Mac15]

Oh yes I seen those things, are there ones for my area?

[Joe90]

I've never seen a method for working out where snow will lay but the general rule here, is that snow will settle 200-300 metres/650-950 ft below the freezing level.

It sounds like a good day for a quick drive up to the snow line.

[Mac15]

I don't want to calculate were it will settle but where the actual line is that it is snowing and not raining.

Are you saying then that it should be snowing around 1800feet?

[Joe90]

Originally Posted by owenc

I don't want to calculate were it will settle but where the actual line is that it is snowing and not raining.

Are you saying then that it should be snowing around 1800feet?

If you want to know where it's just snowing rather than settling, you could probably add another 150 metres to the 200-300 metre rule. I drive from rain up through to snow often, and 150 metres would be about the average difference between settling snow and rain.

So if the freezing level is 2500 ft, it could be snowing down to about 1400 ft - based on my experience here.

[Mac15]

Oh rite ok thank you.

So I will just take 1000feet off the freezing level from now on. Obviously that doesn't include evaporative cooling.

[Joe90]

Go for a drive. How far to the 1500ft mark, from your place?

[Mac15]

LOL.

The hill behind me goes to 1300feet.

But there is a road that goes to 1100feet. It probably snowed up there today because its always colder than 300m suggests.

The radar is suggesting that it will be sleeting up there at 5:40pm.

[Mac15]

Well its 3c and the shower has arrived and its raining the snowline will be lower than 1000feet so I was gonna try an test your theory but my dad is too lazy to drive up.

Yawn