measuring mix-up leaves dc with underreported snow total - laser area measuring device

How much snow did Washington DC get? C.
During the snowstorm last weekend? Officially, 17. 8 inches.
But the actual answer may never be known.
The Washington Post reported the snow
A group of meteorological observers at Reagan National Airport in Washington used measuring equipment buried in the snowstorm, making it impossible for them to record real snow volumes for hours in a row.
Wrong notice of the National Meteorological Bureau (NWS)
It was announced that it would investigate the procedures used at Reagan National Airport, which recorded the total number of official snowfall in the national capital.
Reagan national football team in Arlington County, the US Veterans Administration.
, According to the requirements of NWS, use a device called snow plate.
The board is the position that should be placed on the ground and it will not be subject to strong winds or snow blowing.
It should be cleaned and replaced every six hours.
17, according to the post.
As of 8: 00 in the evening, 8 inch of snow had fallen at the airport. m.
Saturday local time
Although it was snowing for at least four hours, 17.
8 inch is the final measurement result submitted to NWS.
The Post reported that at some point on Friday night, the boards were buried in snow and could not be found.
Instead, the weather observer made a series of measurements on the depth of the snow and averaged it.
By contrast, weather observers at two other major airports in WashingtonC. area —
Dulles Airport in North Virginia and Thurgood Marshall-
Washington International Airport, Baltimore, Maryland-recorded 29. 3 and 29.
It's 2 inch snow, respectively.
However, the Post reported that other snow readings closer to the airport were closer to the total number of Reagan national teams. 19.
There are 4 inch records in the Crystal City of Va.
About a mile north of the airport, the White House reportedly has 22 inch people, about three. 5 miles away.
On Sunday, Mark Richards, the senior observer for national meteorology, insisted on the accuracy of the reading, saying his team did its best under difficult conditions.
"Everyone has to understand that measuring snow in a snowstorm is a difficult thing," Richards said . ".
"We want it to be as accurate as possible," he said . ".
"But this is an inaccurate science.
However, a retired NWS climatologist at Bob Leffler told the Post that the loss of snow plates could lead to less real snowfall reported by observers from the Reagan countries by 10 to 20%, this will make the real total between 19. 5 inch and 21. 4 inches.
The Associated Press contributed to the report.
Click on the Washington Post for more information.