How is an inch of rain measured? Same goes for snow. 5 inches of snow? What’s the width, or height, or shape of this inch?

Question

How is an inch of rain measured? Same goes for snow. 5 inches of snow? What’s the width, or height, or shape of this inch?

In: Earth Science

Answer 1

In it’s most basic, you can just put out a bucket and se how deep it fills up.

The length and width just don’t matter, as in a small open area, rain falls uniformly. Only the height makes any difference.