Snow fall or snow content?

This is a nice question raised by R.P. on the measurement of snow fall.
It is a common knowledge that snow fall is measured with a ruler. How it can be correct when the snow continues to melt and fresh snow continues to fall?

A very intelligent question-right? We too have been reading about the amount of snow fall that fell overnight but we never thought like R.P.

It was answered like this:
Yes, the snow fall is measured by a ruler that indicated how much snow is on the ground and not how much snow has fallen.

National Weather Service use surfaces that they clean off after each snowfall or each hour of
snowfall.

Thank you Wendell Bechtold, meteorologist, Forecaster, National Weather Service.
Weather Forecast Office, St. Louis, MO

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