show that winds during the period of significant snow accumulation were in the 20-26 kt (23 to 30 mph) range sustained with gusts up to 44 kt (51 mph). This (obviously) causes snow to fill in depressions, and it doesn't accumulate well on flat surfaces. Thus holes a foot or more deep were filled, drifts of a half foot or more were against walls, and most open areas had about a half inch of snow with spots nearly bare when all was done - the top layer of all being crusty from the wind packing it down.

I collect snow in a coffee can as described in my data page. There can be problems with snow entering the can and trees can hinder it doing so in strong winds - but snow can also be picked up and deposited in. Without knowing the relative magnitudes of those effects, I decided to simply use the total collected, which was .119 inches of liquid equivalent at midnight mean solar time January 15. I obtained a representative snow:water ratio from a drift of 2-3 inches which was rather flat on top - slid a flat surface under the drift, measured the depth on top of it as 2.2 inches, placed a coffee can over it, flipped it over so the snow fell into the can, melted the snow, and measured the liquid equivalent - obtaining an amount of .237 inches. Thus the snow:water ratio in the drift was 2.2/.237 = 9.3:1 - a value which I find is typical for wind-driven snow which is usually light falling from the sky but the wind packs down on the ground. Using those numbers, the average snow depth was calculated as (.119)(9.3) = 1.1 inches.

I place this here because some people tend to assume I am making numbers up, while I am actually meticulous about my readings - so without further knowledge they should assume the opposite.