How we calculate snow totals

What goes into a report

Every report runs on the WDS unified snow model, the same model Weather Decision Solutions uses for its business clients. It works from what was measured on the ground during your storm: official weather stations, and trained volunteer observers who measure snow on a daily schedule near your location.

Calculated for your location

Snowfall can change a lot over a few miles, especially with elevation. When you enter a street address, the report is calculated for that spot: the nearest measurements are found and weighted from the address, and the total is adjusted for its elevation. If you enter only a ZIP code, it is calculated for the center of that ZIP code.

Checked before it reaches you

Every report goes through automated quality checks that compare the estimate with nearby measurements and the official record. If a check flags anything, a meteorologist reviews the report before it is released. If the record cannot support a solid number, we let you know.

How accurate it is

In several studies comparing our snow totals with other weather services, ours came out on top. In testing at locations the model had never seen, its storm totals landed within about half an inch of what trained observers measured, on average.

What you get

Each report comes as two PDFs. The Verified Report is a short summary with the verified total for your storm. The Full Report adds the official station's daily record, the nearby observers and a map.

Limits

• Coverage is limited to the continental US.
• A single report covers one storm, with a window of up to three days.
• The end date must be at least two days back, because observers finish reporting about two days after a storm.
• Totals are estimates built from nearby measurements, and they are less certain where measurements are sparse. Those reports get a meteorologist's review.

Why it is free

Snow operators need an accurate total most on the days they did not plan for, when a customer disputes an invoice or a claim lands. We want anyone to be able to get one in a pinch without a contract or a credit card, so each verified email gets three free reports. After that, a report is $29, or a location pass covers a ZIP code for a year.

Operators who need snow totals all winter get a verified report for each site after measurable snow as Weather Decision Solutions business members. Memberships start at $499 a month. Those memberships pay for the free service.

Who uses these reports

Snow removal contractors use them to back up invoices and per-push contracts. Adjusters and property owners use them to document snowfall at an address on the date of a claim.

Organizations that need forecasting or deeper weather analytics can reach Weather Decision Solutions at weatherdecisionsolutions.com.