Water equivalent

{
  "id": "MLC-T-MET-003030",
  "term": "Water equivalent",
  "field": "Meteorology and atmospheric science",
  "definitions": [
    "The depth of water that would result from the complete melting of a given mass of snow or ice. It is a measure of the water content of a snowpack, independent of its depth, which can vary with compaction and crystal structure. This value is commonly expressed in millimeters or inches and is a primary input for runoff forecasting and water supply management.",
    "The liquid content of solid precipitation that has accumulated on the ground (snow depth). The accumulation may consist of snow, ice formed by freezing precipitation, freezing liquid precipitation, or ice formed by the refreezing of melted snow."
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "snow density",
    "water content"
  ],
  "references": [
    "NWS Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/meteorology/water-equivalent/"
}