Adding to the parent above, a few more consideratios on anomaly and sensor distribution.
As a quick datapoint right now--the snow pack in the high sierra in CA above 11,000 feet is exceedingly variant to that below. This observed data conflicts with reported NOAA data, because of sensor location issues.
We are having a drought in CA and in the Sierras but the snowpack even versus last year is anomolaous only at certain altitudes. From what I've heard our storms have only been precipitating above a threshold floor (for various reasons). This is something that we've experienced in previous years as well (to some extent, in 2013).
The Wind-energy potential is also very non-uniform:
Just for a quick example. This involves both altitude (eg, wind/weather shadows) as much as micro-topography (ridgelines, etc). Again, which can impact sensor-reported anomaly (micro-climates, etc).
So a bit of caution when extrapolating to things like continental scale.
As a quick datapoint right now--the snow pack in the high sierra in CA above 11,000 feet is exceedingly variant to that below. This observed data conflicts with reported NOAA data, because of sensor location issues.
http://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/nsa/
We are having a drought in CA and in the Sierras but the snowpack even versus last year is anomolaous only at certain altitudes. From what I've heard our storms have only been precipitating above a threshold floor (for various reasons). This is something that we've experienced in previous years as well (to some extent, in 2013).
The Wind-energy potential is also very non-uniform:
http://www.thepelicanpost.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/US_...
Just for a quick example. This involves both altitude (eg, wind/weather shadows) as much as micro-topography (ridgelines, etc). Again, which can impact sensor-reported anomaly (micro-climates, etc).
So a bit of caution when extrapolating to things like continental scale.