For every one inch of rain, how many inches of snow will it make?

Answer 1

Temperature plays a big part in answering this question. Temperature has a big impact on how much snow will fall. Higher temperatures (temperatures close to the freezing mark) will produce lower snow amounts and is referred to as "wet snow." Typically, wet snow has less than a 10:1 ratio meaning that it takes 10 inches of snow to make 1 inch of liquid. When the temperature is colder, the snow is "dry." Dry snow has a ratio greater than 10:1.

Above is just a rule of thumb, there are other factors that come into play.

Answer 2

Literally taken, then answer is 0 because it was rain and not snow. Nor is it correct to say that if you got 3 inches of rain you'd have 30 inches of snow. If the temperature were 50° for example, saturated air at 25° would have 37% of the moisture (which is not the only factor but a large one). What you probably mean is how much snow melts to an inch of water.

On the average, about 10 inches. That value is most often cited, and is what I found from 7 seasons of careful measurements here:

http://www.joseph-bartlo.net/mtpdat.htm

though it is difficult to determine for many storms because there is a mix with sleet &/or rain. The temperature and its profile (up into the atmosphere - especially the area in the cloud where most snowflakes are forming) has a large effect, but generally ratios are higher during the coldest time of year and for showers rather than steady snow which occurs with synoptic scale Lows. Lake-effect snows tend to be particularly light & fluffy. My average is about 11-12:1 the coldest time of year and about 8:1 early & late in the snow season.

Yet as mentioned here:

http://www.cimms.ou.edu/~schultz/snowdensity/paper.shtml

the ratio can vary from as low as around 3:1 to 100:1 - though it is quite rare to see anything less than 6:1 or greater than 50:1.

I have noticed the reported ratios tending to increase at least a little the past 20-25 years (that I paid close attention) - which I think is most likely from exaggerated snowfall reports.

Answer 3

Times X 9

Answer 4

Depends upon the air temperature. If it's below 28, powdery snow is about 12 inches. If it's 32-38 degrees, heavy wet snow will be about 8-9 inches.

Answer 5

It's the opposite, like 10 inches of snow melts down to 1 inch of rainwater.

Answer 6

1 inch rain equals about 10 inches of snow. That's what forecasters say.

Answer 7

Depends on the density of the snow, but the usual rule of thumb is ten inches of snow per inch of rain.

Answer 8

About 12 inches of snow.

Answer 9

I've always heard that an inch of rain is equal to about 8" of snow.

Answer 10

In Canada, the standard ratio is 10 to one. And believe me, we know snow.

If the temperature is near freezing or a little above, the snow is very wet and contains liquid water within, then the ratio can be a little as 2 to one.

In very cold weather we may get very light fluffy snow with a ratio approaching 25 to one.

It's been said that some northern cultures have up to 17 different words in their language which we would directly translate to English as "snow". I wonder if they have one for "air conditioner".