Forecasting snow to liquid ratio Summary
Warm ground and boundary layer temperatures can keep snow-water ratios down
a warm layer that approaches zero oC also will usually keep the ratios low.
Storms having clouds with a large amounts of supercooled droplets will not have as high a ratio as storms in which most crystal growth is by deposition.
Soundings that are almost isothermal with a large portion of the sounding near zero oC will usually have a ratio of 8 or 10 to 1.
High winds will keep snow ratios down because snowflakes will fracture and lose their lacy structure
Deep cold air promotes higher ratios but if the temperatures are too cold the crystal type may not be conducive to high ratios. .
Storm tracks often provide keys to forecasting the snow to water ratio
- tracks near oceans have more liquid water in clouds which usually produces lower snow-liquid ratios