Updated
Using Snow water equivalent calculator
Convert snow depth to water-equivalent depth using the density ratio.
Water-equivalent depth = snow depth × snow density/water density. Both densities use one unit; output depth uses the input depth unit. Densities are your assumptions, not a measured weather observation.
A worked example
Example inputs: snow depth = 20, snow density = 100, liquid-water density in matching units = 1000. Water-equivalent depth = 2.
Before you use the result
Water-equivalent depth = snow depth × snow density/water density. Both densities use one unit; output depth uses the input depth unit. Densities are your assumptions, not a measured weather observation.
Example results for snow depth
These examples use Snow density: 100; Liquid-water density in matching units: 1000. They are reference calculations, not recommended settings.
| Snow depth | Water-equivalent depth |
|---|---|
| 10 | 1 |
| 20 | 2 |
| 40 | 4 |
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ToolOctopus. “Snow water equivalent calculator.” Updated 2026-09-26. https://tooloctopus.com/snow-water-equivalent-calculator.
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