Studies of the Army Aviation V/STOL Environment. Report 6. Extreme 24-Hour Snowfalls in the United States Accumulation, Distribution, and Frequency.

• Main Author: Riordan,Pauline
• Other Authors: ARMY ENGINEER TOPOGRAPHIC LABS FORT BELVOIR VA
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1973
• Subjects: V/STOL; Snow; Ice and Permafrost; *DAMAGE; *SNOW; *SHORT TAKEOFF AIRCRAFT; VOLUME; UNITED STATES; DISTRIBUTION; LOADS(FORCES); ALASKA; NEW YORK; INTENSITY; CALIFORNIA; ACCUMULATION; COLORADO; NEW HAMPSHIRE; OREGON; WASHINGTON(STATE); *Snowfall; *Thompson Pass; Stol; Ice; permafrost; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA001757; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA001757

The report presents tables and location maps of the frequency and geographic distribution in the United States of snowfalls having a potential to damage V/STOL aircraft. 'Potentially damaging' is defined as a snow buildup of 20 lb/sq ft or more, and localities having such a snowfall at least once in 10 years are considered localities of risk for the aircraft. A search of daily snowfall records for weather stations in the United States during the period 1951 through 1970 indicate that approximately 10 such snowfalls would occur in an average year and that probably nine of the 10 would occur in six areas of intense 24-hour snowfall. The six areas are in California-Oregon, Alaska, Washington, Colorado, New Hampshire, and New York. Of these areas, California-Oregon is the largest in extent and had the most stations reporting potentially damaging snowfalls. Of the individual stations, Thompson Pass, Alaska, reported the most potentially damaging snowfalls and those with the largest amounts. See also AD-781 951.