SNOTEL cams vs snow levels, discrepancy

[JRMiller]

So yesterday I starting reviewing the cams as I have a hunt coming up in two weeks but am perplexed as to why the snow pack level is given but then on the cams not an inch of snow is seen. There's one location that reads 54" of snow but when you view the cam you see no snow whatsoever.
I've looked at over a dozen sites and they all share similar inaccuracy.
Am i missing something here?
Or are these cams all just not working right?
thanks
JR

 

[jolemons]

Are you looking at total snow pack for the water year perhaps? They don't have a way to determine current conditions, only cumulative data.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Phaseolus]

Those Snotel sites do need a fair amount of maintenance, since it’s the end of the season maybe that is the issue. A working Snotel site should give fairly accurate realtime data.

 

[Jethro]

Where you seeing the webcam for snotel stations? I've never seen that option on any of the stations I monitor in WY or CO.

 

[westbranch]

The picture of the snotel site that shows on the website is just that... a picture. Not a live webcam.

 

[zion zig zag]

The picture of the snotel site that shows on the website is just that... a picture. Not a live webcam.

Yep, just shows you the location to give you an idea of aspect, vegetation cover, etc.

 

[Carr5vols]

Worldview: Explore Your Dynamic Planet

The NASA Worldview app provides a satellite's perspective of the planet as it looks today and as it has in the past through daily satellite images. Worldview is part of NASA’s Earth Science Data and Information System. ESDIS makes the agency's large repository of data accessible and freely...

worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov

This may help...if will not tell you depth but you will know if snow is really there or not...

 

[JRMiller]

The picture of the snotel site that shows on the website is just that... a picture. Not a live webcam.

Ok i could see that being the case.

Its a little misleading cause the 511 site does show actual real time vid, but of the highway passes.

anyhow, thanks im sure thats it