SIERRA NEVADA REGION, Calif. / Nev. – Ski resorts are bracing for impact as a bomb cyclone is forecasted to bring snow this weekend. Scientists are asking for the public’s participation in a project that could help fine-tune their understanding of winter weather.

Winter precipitation can vary over the course of minutes and across short distances, making it notoriously difficult to research. There are few weather stations that can accurately identify precipitation phases near freezing, whether that’s rain, snow, or mixed.

It’s direct observations by people that are the most accurate way to discover how precipitation varies in time and space.

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The Desert Research Institute and University of Nevada, Reno have teamed up with NASA and Lynker to invite the public to report what kind of precipitation they’re seeing at their location.

Members of the public in the Sierra Nevada region can do so by signing up for the Mountain Rain or Snow Citizen Science Project online or by texting WINTER to 855-909-0798. The online app pinpoints your coordinates for you and provides the precipitation options. Be sure to read about precipitation classes and material regarding identifying them under the frequently asked questions section.

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Data gathered from citizen reporters helps scientists improve weather predictions as well well as forecasting for flooding, snow levels, avalanche hazard, and road safety.

The project also helps improve weather forecasting models, and forecasters can also view real-time observations to help report more accurate weather to the public while it’s happening. 

For more information or to sign up, visit rainorsnow.org.