[CF-metadata] Request for a new standard_name : surface_snow_extent

From: Jonathan Gregory <j.m.gregory>
Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2013 11:42:34 +0100

Dear Thomas

> I need a new standard_name, inspired by the existing one on sea_ice_extent. The aim is to count the area of surface covered by snow (in the sense of "land", that is excluding snow over sea ice) .
>
> A standard name for snow cover extent (total snow covered area) similar to that for sea_ice_extent:
>
> surface_snow_extent, unit: m2
>
> Should it better be snow_extent? Or land_snow_extent?

I agree that surface_snow should be included, since that phrase is used in many
standard names to mean snow lying on the surface (as distinct from snowfall).
The quantity could be restricted to land by including "area: sum where land" in
the cell_methods.

I think that the occurrence of snow will need some definition, and perhaps a
scalar or size-one coordinate variable might be needed to specify a threshold.
(A threshold ought to be stated in the definition of sea_ice_extent as well!)

Best wishes

Jonathan
Received on Tue Aug 13 2013 - 04:42:34 BST