water equivalent

The depth of water that would result from the melting of the snowpack or of a snow sample; thus, the water equivalent of a new snowfall is the same as the amount of precipitation represented by that snowfall.

Related terms:

• equivalent temperature
• water content
• isobaric equivalent temperature
• adiabatic equivalent temperature
• equivalent potential temperature
• water snow
• snow gage
• equivalent height
• equivalent diameter
• equivalent barotropic model