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Boulder-based researchers field testing new technology
Boulder researchers are exploring more accurate ways to measure snowpack.
Ethan Gutmann examines a laser instrument for measuring snow. (©UCAR, Photo by Carlye Calvin.
By Summit Voice
SUMMIT COUNTY — Specialized lasers and the latest GPS technology will help meteorologists make more accurate assessments of snow cover and snowpack — critical measurements for determining avalanche danger, predicting water supplies and anticipating flood hazards.
“We’ve been measuring rain accurately for centuries, but snow is much harder because of the way it’s affected by wind and sun and other factors,” said Ethan Gutmann, a researcher at the Boulder National Center for Atmospheric Research. The new technology will finally give scientists the ability to say exactly how much snow is on the ground, he added. (more…)
Filed under: climate and weather, Colorado, Environment, snow, Snow and weather, Summit County snow and weather | Tagged: Colorado, National Center for Atmospheric Research, National Science Foundation, NOAA, snow, snow measurements, weather | 1 Comment »
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