Snowpack in Hemlock, Hardwood, and Open Sites at Harvard Forest 2008-2014

Sub-forest canopy meteorological forcing and snowpack properties can profoundly influence the winter ecology. 3/4 inch graduated PVC snow stakes and web cams were installed at three Harvard Forest (HF) sites including: mixed-hardwood at the Little Prospect Hill (LPH) Eddy Flux Tower, near the Hemlock walk-up tower, and at the open area behind Shaler Hall. Web cameras connected to a laptop at the three sites provided daily images of snowpack surface depth. Snow density profiles were recorded during weekly to monthly site visits from December 2008 to April 2014. Gaps in the datasets were primarily caused by laptop malfunctions and lack of site visits necessary to maintain equipment and to obtain density measurements of the snowpack. There were no site visits to record snowpack properties during the 2011-2012 snow season, a year of unusually low snowfall. These datasets would prove useful for research related to snow ecology and hydrology projects at Harvard Forest.