Seasonal Snowfall Maps.

[Willh]

On the MQT NWS website every year recently they have a map of the UP with how much snow was received in the preceding winter season. How is this map developed? They don't seem to have reliable measurements from the majority of the sites on the map, especially on the western side...yet they have pinpoint detail for these areas.

Are these maps unreliable or is there some sort of source data they have that I don't know about?

~ Will

 

[jd]

These maps are produced from data gather from the coop observation network the NWS Marquette has for their forecast area. Most of the reports can be seen in their daily storm reports and they might even have a specific link to the coop data. Most of the data available is in a daily format, but they keep track of the numbers and then publish the map once the season is over.

Much of the snow that falls in the UP is lake effect and can thus be highly localized. Case in point, last December's storm that dumped 3 feet in Calumet, but around a foot 5 miles north and 5 miles south. So when making such maps, there are some "smoothing" and other techniques used to arrive at the best representation that they can. I do find the maps to be fairly accurate, at least in giving the general idea of what the distribution with the snow for the season.

-John