Volunteers needed for NIWA snow project

MEDIA RELEASE

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016

Volunteers needed for NIWA snow project

As the snow finally starts to fall in earnest this week, NIWA is asking for public help to measure it.

All you need is a ruler and some snow.

NIWA snow scientist Christian Zammit says there is very little scientific data about snow in New Zealand but it was important to help understand risk to buildings and infrastructure, such as power lines, and the impact on ground water and how weather develops.

“We need help to build our databases and to better understand how snow falls and how much it varies between locations. This week is an ideal time to start taking measurements and we would really appreciate the help.”

There are two measurements that are helpful to scientists. The first is the depth of the snow and the second is the snow density, or how heavy the snow is. This is important when it comes to the amount of snow buildings can withstand or how much snow melt is to recharge the local groundwater system.

The first thing to do is choose a location – NIWA recommends somewhere typical like a lawn or park.

Then put a ruler vertically into the snow down to ground level and record the depth in millimetres. Do this 10 times, each time at a different place in that location between 10 and 100m apart.

Repeat the measurements at the same places throughout the day – or at least once in the morning and again in the afternoon.

If there are several days of snow, repeat the measurements at the same general location each day when it’s fine, not when it’s snowing.

The snow density measurements are a little more time consuming but are important to estimate snow loadings for buildings.

All the instructions on how to make accurate snow measurements are on our website: www.niwa.co.nn/niwasnow where you’ll also be able to download a snow measurement form.

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