How Well Are We Measuring Snow Post-SPICE?

Accurate snowfall measurements are necessary for meteorology, hydrology, and climate research. Typical uses include creating and calibrating gridded precipitation products, the verification of model simulations, driving hydrologic models, input into aircraft deicing processes, and estimating streamflow runoff in the spring. These applications are significantly impacted by errors in solid precipitation measurements. The recent WMO Solid Precipitation Intercomparison Experiment (SPICE) attempted to characterize and reduce some of the measurement uncertainties through an international effort involving 15 countries utilizing over 20 types and models of precipitation gauges from various manufacturers. Key results from WMO-SPICE are presented herein. Recent work and future research opportunities that build on the results of WMO-SPICE are also highlighted.

Automated summary

Accurate snowfall measurements are crucial for meteorology, hydrology, and climate research, but errors in solid precipitation measurements can significantly impact various applications. The recent WMO-SPICE aimed to reduce measurement uncertainties by involving 15 countries and utilizing over 20 types of precipitation gauges. Key results from WMO-SPICE are presented in this article, along with recent work and future research opportunities building on these results.