Fairchild "Guess the First Measurable Snow Contest" Published Oct. 4, 2012 92nd Operations Support Squadron Weather Flight FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- It's that time of year; the trees are losing their leaves and the hot days of summer have been replaced with cool days and nights. As autumn splendor turns into a cold winter, do you have what it takes to guess the day and hour of the first measurable snow fall (greater than a half inch)? The closest date and time guesser will receive a special gift from the 92nd Operations Support Squadron weather flight and the prestigious title of "Winter Weather Wizard 2012." The contest rules are: guess the month, day and hour of when we will have at least a half inch snow (example: Nov 10th at 11 a.m.). The contestant with the date and the time closest to the first half inch measurable snow will win. Send guesses (one entry per person) to 92OSS.weather@fairchild.af.mil and they will track them on their spreadsheet. The last day for entries is Nov. 1. Here are some tips to help you develop a guess for the first measurable snow: The average first measurable snow in the last 55 years occurs Nov. 13. In the last five years it was: Nov. 12, 2011, Nov. 18, 2010, Nov. 13, 2009, Nov. 28, 2008, and Nov. 26, 2007. The first measurable snow fall, on average, happens about two weeks after we see the first snowflake. The average annual snowfall is 44.7 inches. Extended forecasts from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration indicate a probability that (November - March) precipitation will be below average with temperatures normal to above average. About eight respectable winter storms pass each season.