X-Snow
Scientists don’t yet understand snow–and that limits our ability to predict and manage our freshwater resources. Our changing climate impacts the timing, quantity, quality, distribution, and persistence of snow. Instruments on satellites and aircraft can’t collect all the data scientists need near mountains or forests.
The X-Snow project needs your on-the-ground help to measure the snow depth in the Catskills and Adirondack Mountains to assess how snowfall there varies through time and space. They will work with your reports to develop more sensitive tools for characterizing snowpack and make better use of NASA data.
ages
18 and up; high school classes encouraged
division
Earth Science
where
New York and New England, Outside
launched
2025
What you’ll do
- Respond to the 'Contact Us' button on the website to join the project.
- Choose a protocol (set of instructions) and participate in a 30-minute online training and Q&A session.
- When there’s snow on the ground, collect your data, and make a report!
Requirements
- Time: There are three tiers of protocols you can choose from, depending how much time you have to spend on the project. A 30-minute online training for Tiers 1 and 2; additional training is available for Tier 3.
- Equipment: Tier 1 requires a thermometer, yardstick, smartphone. Tier 2 and 3 equipment provided by project.
- Knowledge: None. The trainings will teach you all you need to know.
Get started!
- Collect and report data any time you have snow! The project investigates both fresh and aging snow.
- Visit the project website.
- Choose your protocol (Tier 1 - sample at one site; Tier 2 - sample 3-10 sites in a line; Tier 3 - sample plus dig a hole in the snow - a “snowpit” - and characterize the layers revealed).
Learn More
Learn more about the challenges of understanding the complex relationship between climate, snow, and groundwater in this short article. You’ll also be introduced to SnowEx, another NASA-sponsored project investigating the mysteries of snow.
Get to know the people of X-Snow!
