Introducing a new high resolution interactive interface to SNOTEL
snowpack and precipitation information. Opening the data layer below in
the Google Earth application opens a window to the data that allows you
to have a birds-eye view of the Western US, while zooming in to
individual basins and stations of interest.
1)
Google earth is an application requiring a fast internet connection and
a modern computer. Be sure to check if your system matches the
requirements outlined by
Google.
2) Download and install the
Google Earth application. Familiarize yourself
with the interface by viewing the
Google
Earth Guide. If you have
any problems so far, the
Google Earth Support webpage is full of useful information. Do note
that alternatives to Google Earth exist, such as NASA's
WorldWind and ESRI's
ArcExplorer, both of which are free.
3) Load a SNOTEL ".kmz" data file from the links directly below. The
file on the left displays the station name on the map which is good for
fine scale analysis. For a broader view of conditions, viewing the data
without labels (the file on the right) may be preferable. The
application may automatically launch on opening a ".kmz" file.
4) Browse around or zoom into your basin of interest. Click
individual sites for more info, both on the map and in the "Places"
frame on the left. Use the "Places" frame to find a specific station,
organized by state.
5) Any day you use this application, come to this webpage and click
on the above links to the data files. Important!
If you save the “.kmz” file locally to your computer, it will only
contain the data from the day you acquired it and will not automatically
refresh. To ensure you have the latest data, always come back to this
webpage.
A Note About Precision:
At very fine resolutions, the location of the marker on this map may
not match the exact location of the SNOTEL site. The marker is
placed at the center of a 0.01 by 0.01 degree box, outlined in gray.
This approximately 500 acre buffer contains the true location of the
site. If you have an application that requires a higher level of
accuracy, please contact the
content manager of this page.
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