Short term forecasting of snowmelt runoff

A day-to-day streamflow forecasting procedure is illustrated by using snowmelt factors and computing the next day's runoff, thus segregating from the hydrograph the contribution of one day's snowmelt. The heat sources for melting snow are largely solar radiation, reflected solar radiation, heat from warm air masses and latent heat of evaporation from condensation of water vapor. The snowmelt formula developed by Phillip Light is used to correlate the weather elements to snowmelt and streamflow. Daily flows are solved concurrently to synthesize the seasonal runoff hydrograph. Graphs illustrate the procedure.