PITTSBURGH — Another light snow event is on tap for Thursday. While it’s not much, snow will stick easily and could lead to slick spots rather quickly. Why?
The amount of snow that accumulates all depends on the snow-to-liquid ratio. If we get around one inch of liquid water, a 10:1 ratio would imply 10 inches of snow, which is close to the average for our area.
But when it’s much colder, snow has much less liquid water content, which means it can pile up quicker due to the so-called “fluff factor.” An inch of water suddenly becomes 20″ of snow in a 20:1 ratio.
Thursday is a perfect example with temperatures at the surface in the teens. To maximize the snow-to-liquid ratio, you need cold air at the ground, cold air aloft, adequate moisture and lift within that depth of air, and light or calm winds.
All of those will present Thursday, which will push ratios upwards of 20 or even 25:1 in parts of the area, which is almost as high as it gets around here. So, while the snow will be very light and fluffy, it won’t take long to stick to pavement surfaces.
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