Blowing Snow Data Request Extended

Originally planned to end on February 28th, the request for blowing snow observations has been extended through March 31st! (Read the original article about the topic, "Help Scientists Track Blowing Snow.")

Bill Line, Physical Scientist at NOAA/NESDIS, shares tips on capturing blowing snow observations: “Your photos are extremely valuable to this project because they provide ground-based confirmation of what we see from satellites. We are looking for photos of blowing snow taken across the horizon so we can clearly assess visibility conditions. The best opportunities typically occur on windy days following a fresh snowfall, when skies are otherwise clear and loose snow can be lifted from the surface. Please include the viewing direction and capture a wide view of the horizon. The blowing snow of interest to this project is snow that is lofted into the air and reduces horizontal visibility. The example from January 27 [see photo below] shows drifting snow instead. In that case, the snow is being blown along the surface rather than lifted into the air, and visibility is not being reduced. However, it is still a helpful photo because it provides a clear view of the horizon, including a distant cloud deck toward Toledo.”  

 

This photo from the 27th of January by a GLOBE Observer in Toledo, Ohio USA captured drifting snow (snow that is blown along the surface), but not "blowing snow," which is snow that has been lofted vertically and reduces visibility. In the GOES-East Blowing Snow RGB satellite image [below] that matches the GLOBE observation, red is the ground where snow color is present. The white circle indicates the approximate location where the photo was taken. Clouds are contrasting above the red. You can see the cloud shield along the horizon is visible in the satellite imagery. There is no additional streak of yellow across the red, which is what scientists look for to confirm blowing snow. That means that this observation is of drifting snow along the ground surface, not of blowing snow. GLOBE observer data like this observation help to confirm that the satellite interpretation tool using colors for different features is working as it should. 

If you want to learn how scientists use colors to interpret snow on the ground, blowing snow and clouds, see the Blowing Snow Quick Guide.

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