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.
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. Compare snow density, water content.
The depth of water that would result from the melting of a snow sample. Typically about 10 inches of snow will melt to 1 inch of water, producing a water equivalent of 10 to 1.