Ground-Based Snow and Ice Crystal Observation System Used in Sierra Nevada Winter Orographic Storms

摘要

This report describes the use of a ground based photographic snow and ice crystal observation system during two winter seasons at a fixed sampling site near the summit of the central Sierra Nevada range of California. This research effort was performed as part of the Bureau of Reclamation's Sierra Cooperative Pilot Project (SCPP), an investigation of the technical feasibility and potential economic benefit of cloud seeding in the Sierra Nevada to supplement the region's water supply. Two specific photographic systems and their operational use are detailed. Data reduction and analysis techniques are also described.