# Snowfall Measurement?



## Nursemylawn (Oct 18, 2016)

Hi Veterans!

Since I am new in the snow business Im curious how do you guys measure the snow? What if the customer not agree?

Thank youLL!


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

I stick a yard stick in the snow in a few different places and take a picture.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

I think enough has been said, I will add this tho, Make sure you have a back ground pic. of the building while measuring or some type of landmark on the property, You get some :terribletowel:that might ? the location.

Good Luck lowred:


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

Date and time stamp on the pic too. With a back ground like Fred said, they will have nothing to dispute.


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## 1olddogtwo (Aug 6, 2007)

Bill it in CM's.


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

how is the pic proof? Just cut the first 2 or three inches off the stick, stick it in the ground and poof they got 6" not 3". 

They dont believe me I dont plow them again. 
call them up to come out and verify the snow depth before you plow.


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## Nursemylawn (Oct 18, 2016)

Thank you all!!


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

theplowmeister said:


> how is the pic proof? Just cut the first 2 or three inches off the stick, stick it in the ground and poof they got 6" not 3".
> 
> They dont believe me I dont plow them again.
> call them up to come out and verify the snow depth before you plow.


Technically I agree, But if the OP wants to do this, When you take the pic your client would have to be able to see the bottom of the stick on the pavement and the snow around it.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

I had a case of this once where we subbed for an outfit from the city. We were plowing a brand new grocery store with nothing by open corn fields for miles to the west. Took pictures of a tape measure in the lot as we were plowing 8" on the back side (West) of the building, and 2 inches on the front (East). Got in a heated debate with the guy we were a sub for saying that that was only a 2" snow and there was no way that it could possibly take as many hours as we turned in. I explained the concept of what "drifting" was in the most belittling way that I could. Got terminated, but laughed my a$$ off the first time his guys tried to plow it as I had accounts in the area so I drove through every event to see how things were going. They had a tough time in the back to say the least.

Some people are just not going to believe you no matter what... nothing you can do about it but try.


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## FredG (Oct 15, 2012)

Those big structures can leave some big drifts wide open with nothing around them. I seen them touching the roof. Fired, That's easy to do if you got some uneducated :terribletowel:that's not educated on moving snow.


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## Philbilly2 (Aug 25, 2007)

FredG said:


> Those big structures can leave some big drifts wide open with nothing around them. I seen them touching the roof. Fired, That's easy to do if you got some uneducated :terribletowel:that's not educated on moving snow.


Same guy blamed me for loading our hours as we plowed the entire lot to the East end of the lot on a super windy day. Called and asked why I gods name would I waste the time carrying all the snow to the East side of the lot tried to splan, was not having it... I got plenty of laughs later that year driving threw the lot after they were done, lot was still wet from salt and 4 foot tall drifts were already coming off of the piles on the West end across the service drive in the back of the store and 1/2 way across the loading docks of the store... but I am just an hour loading [email protected] 

Was excited to get the termination letter honestly... some just don't understand what wind can do in the boonies.


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## jrgiv6 (Nov 11, 2016)

We use a second party to certify snow fall totals that way there is no problems. Works great when you have to take them to court and you pullout the reports.
Weatherworks.com there isotherm companies out there that provide the same service.


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## JMHConstruction (Aug 22, 2011)

theplowmeister said:


> how is the pic proof? Just cut the first 2 or three inches off the stick, stick it in the ground and poof they got 6" not 3".
> 
> They dont believe me I dont plow them again.
> call them up to come out and verify the snow depth before you plow.


I guess call them and have them personally come out with you and measure themselves.



jrgiv6 said:


> We use a second party to certify snow fall totals that way there is no problems. Works great when you have to take them to court and you pullout the reports.
> Weatherworks.com there isotherm companies out there that provide the same service.


The city next to mine averages 14" of snow a year. My city averages around 22". I don't think a third party is coming to the properties I'm at that the snow depth is in question.


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## Mitragorz (Oct 11, 2013)

I use a few links. This one I had to use once to go back in time 5 months for a customer who was contesting an invoice:

http://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/interactive/html/map.html?ql=station&zoom=&loc=Latitude,Longitude;+City,ST;+or+Station+ID&var=snowfall_obs_48_h&dy=2016&dm=1&dd=25&dh=12&snap=1&o9=1&o13=1&lbl=m&mode=query&extents=us&min_x=-72.775000000002&min_y=40.699999999996&max_x=-72.200000000002&max_y=41.024999999996&coord_x=-72.487500000002&coord_y=40.862499999996004&zbox_n=&zbox_s=&zbox_e=&zbox_w=&metric=0&bgvar=dem&shdvar=shading&width=800&height=450&nw=800&nh=450&h_o=0&font=0&js=1&uc=0

During a snowfall, and for a short period after, this textual public info will give a rundown of accumulation in various towns, and how the info was collected (NWS Employee, trained spotter, private system, etc.). I'll take a screenshot and save it for my records.

http://forecast.weather.gov/product...X&product=PNS&format=CI&version=47&glossary=0

This link is what I use for forecasting. Some pretty interesting stuff here:

http://www.weather.gov/okx/winter

With some digging, you can probably find similar for your area. This stuff is usually hidden deep in the bowels of the NWS site.


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