Continuous Snowpack Temperature Monitoring for the Idaho State Highway 21 Avalanche Program

The temperature conditions within the snowpack along Idaho highways, in particular HW21 ("Avalanche Alley"), control the rate of settlement of new snow, the rate of strengthening of the snowpack, and the formation of weak layers that cause destructive avalanches that reach the highway. The main objective of this project is to develop and pilot test a real-time snow temperature monitoring system, which measures snow temperatures every 5cm throughout the snowpack (0-2.5 meters), with an accuracy of better than 0.1 deg C. Preprocessing software will be developed to process the raw temperature data and compress it, as well as software to communicate with a satellite modem to transfer the compressed data. Once developed, researchers will test the real-time processing and telemetry, along with the visualisation software. The software will then be improved based on feedback from ITD forecasters, and the results of this study will be used to develop a recommendation for operational use of the system at the end of the project.

• Record URL:
  https://apps.itd.idaho.gov/apps/research/Completed/RP276.pdf
• 

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $45000
• Contract Numbers:

  RP 276

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Idaho Transportation Department

  P.O. Box 7129, 3311 West State Street
  Boise, ID  United States  83707-1129
• Project Managers:

  Nicholson, Bill

• Performing Organizations:

  Boise State University

  1910 University Dr.
  Boise, Idaho  United States  83725
• Principal Investigators:

  Marshall, Hans-Peter

• Start Date: 20180920
• Expected Completion Date: 20201215
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Avalanches; Highways; Information processing; Pilot studies; Snow; Software; Temperature; Temperature measurement
• Geographic Terms: Idaho
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01703601
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Idaho Transportation Department
• Contract Numbers: RP 276
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Apr 30 2019 12:41PM