This morning I Googled rain equivalency of 1 foot of snow and got this AI summary:
In the US, one foot of snow is roughly equivalent to 13 inches of rain. However, the ratio can vary based on the temperature and type of snow.
Not sure if it’s referring to the state of alternative facts in the US, as I am pretty sure this should be an equivalency that should be valid everywhere and not just in the US, but it also ignores the simple fact that water expands when frozen and the AI result is insanely inaccurate.
FYI, the answer is about 1 inch of rain equivalency for 1 foot of snow. AI is going to expand our economy though, right?
Not to mention physically impossible, given the crystalline structure of snow, no matter how wet the snow, is less dense than water. The change from crystal water, (snow, ice) to liquid will shrink the volume, not expand it. 12 inches of snow can not be 13 inches of water.
Not really looking to be generous towards a technology that has been touted as the second coming of salvation, something that is expected to replace people in the workforce.
The general rule of thumb is that 10 inches of snow is roughly equivalent to 1 inch of rain under average conditions. However, this ratio can vary depending on the moisture content of the snow:
** Light, fluffy snow (low moisture content, ~30:1 ratio) → 1 foot of snow = ~0.4 inches of rain*
** Typical snow (moderate moisture content, ~10:1 ratio) → 1 foot of snow = ~1.2 inches of rain*
** Heavy, wet snow (high moisture content, ~5:1 ratio) → 1 foot of snow = ~2.4 inches of rain**
From my minimal experience so far (and I surely hope that is more than anyone reading this ever acquires in this particular area) it’s actually going to require a lot more human input to iron out nuances and stuff that’s dead wrong.
On topics I’m familiar with, it’s always been reasonably obvious to me in the past when folk have resorted to Google to perform a smackdown and not quite understood what they were reading. AI…with its veneer of greater breadth of knowledge…just adds more confidence to the users arguments but not necessarily more accuracy, as far as I can see. Kinda like a techy version of the old Andy’s Letter from Car Talk of years ago.
So, to stay on topic, this is all we have in the Front Range region right now. Barely 3" fallen and, with temperatures not rising much above single digit…so as light and fluffy as all get out…that probably translates to “not.much by way of rain”, right?
Well, the point of the post was to watch out for those AI summaries that greet you at the top of a search, but the reason for the search was the foot of snow, (light and fluffy,) that we recently got in western VA that will soon be followed by 50F temps and heavy rain. Was trying to determine level of concern for flooding on our river. At a 1’ to 1" conversion of snow to rain, not that concerned. Calling 1’ of snow equal to 13" of rain would have been problematic.
Went to my sleep doctor yesterday. Good news I have phase advance and am sleeping fantastically well.
The doctor’s office was going slightly nuts.
Turns out their new computer program uses AI. The patient before me was canceled by the system while she was in seeing the doctor. She got a text saying her appointment had been canceled.
Turns out the office was completely upside down for weeks because of the AI system. This is not just one office. The practice is dozens of doctors across Greater Hartford now using AI for scheduling et al.
My doctor is retiring. His practice can deal with it. He does not care. He is 68 and sees a new day without the headaches.
