CIMO Survey on national summaries of methods and instruments for solid precipitation measurement at automatic weather stations

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This publication reports on the results of the CIMO survey, initiated in 2008, on the current methods, instruments and challenges for the measurement of solid precipitation at automatic weather stations. The current survey is the third in its category. It was built on the two previous surveys that were conducted by CIMO 10 and 20 years ago. Since then, the automatic stations have been providing an increased percentage of precipitation data, snow water equivalent, and depth of snow on the ground. The CIMO, at its 14th session, initiated this review to assess the methods for measurement and observation of solid precipitation, snowfall and snow depth, at automatic, unattended stations in cold climate (polar and alpine). In that context, CIMO tasked the Expert Team on SurfaceBased Instrument Intercomparisons and Calibration Methods (ETSBII& CM) to conduct this work. This IOM Report, prepared by a member of the Expert Team, Ms Rodica Nitu as Lead author, and by Ms Kai Wong, provides the result of the analysis of the survey on National summaries of methods and instruments for solid precipitation measurement at automatic weather stations that was performed in 2008 to document and review the current methods, instruments and challenges of automatic solid precipitation measurements. The survey was prepared in a way to reflect the transition from manual to automatic observation of precipitation and to provide information on the extent of use of automation for measuring precipitation, the parameters monitored, the instruments used and their metadata, and the current development work taking place for improving the measurement of precipitation. This publication facilitates a better understanding of the global configuration of precipitation measurement and lays the ground for a proposed WMO intercomparison of instruments measuring solid precipitation.

Collection(s) and Series: WMO/TD- No. 1544; IOM Report- No. 102

Language(s): English

Tags: Precipitation forecasting ; Instruments and Methods of Observation Programme (IMOP) Add tag

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 CIMO IOM Reports No.95 to 103 (2010)