Snow to liquid ratio: Why is it important?

When it comes to pinpointing snowfall totals, we look at multiple variables including temperatures on the ground and aloft, as well as moisture.

In terms of yesterday's winter storm, it all came down to the snow to liquid ratio.

This is the amount of liquid produced once the snow has melted and typically the average is 10:1, meaning 1" of water equals 10" of snow

You may have noticed that the snow that fell around the Rockford area was wet and heavy. That's because temperatures for much of the event sat around 33-34°, resulting in a lower snow to liquid ratio. Rockford's storm total end up being 3.9". 

Meanwhile, if you took a two hour trip to the west say near Dubuque, IA, temperatures were a few degrees cooler. This allowed your typical snow to fall, leaving totals near the 12" mark.

 For a light and fluffier snow to fall, temperatures must be colder so that the air can hold less moisture. For example, if the temperature is 18° and there’s snow, it can pile up very quickly for a 20:1 ratio.