Good morning again. We got the promised snowfall...not much and not very cold so the water content is high! We got 2 cm of snow in our measuring device and when that melted we had one cm of water. The temperature at our elevation is -1 C. That seems like really high water content compared to what you have in Antarctica.
The students are investigating snow flakes and how they hold water and what temperature has to do with it. We would be interested in hearing from any other locations in the country too about the water content of their snow. We are also looking for a website...probably through NOAA...to see about temperature in the clouds where the snow formed and how high the snow producing clouds are. Sounds like the class will be meeting some NWS meterologists online today.
Students were interested in the photos that showed the person down in the pit that you dug in the snow to study snow layers. What can you tell us about those tests and measurements? We have talked about layering in relation to avalanches, snow slides, and the 9 fatalities in our region in the last 12 months. Students are very interested! Maybe learning about the layers in a really cold, and flatter, place can help them understand why our concerns are different in steep mountains.
I know we are asking lots of questions and we appreciate the time you are taking to try to find answers. Keep up the good work. Enjoy every moment of your research adventure.
Barney