When Snow Load Becomes a Critical Piece of the Puzzle in Your Legal Case
Rather than examining only the final storm, the AccuWeather expert forensic analysis demonstrated how weeks of accumulated winter weather steadily increased the load on structures before the collapse occurred
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Clayton Hamblin clears almost two feet of new snow from some condominiums May 11, 2005 in Alta, Utah.(George Frey/Getty Images)
What was the case?
Following a series of historic winter storms, a commercial property owner sought to understand whether extraordinary weather conditions contributed to a significant structural failure.
The property was one of many across Connecticut that experienced roof collapses during the remarkable January 2011 snow and ice events. State hazard mitigation reports later documented the widespread damage, identifying numerous roof failures, including this facility, as part of one of the most impactful winter weather periods in recent Connecticut history.
AccuWeather's Forensic Services team was asked to reconstruct the evolution of the snowpack over a three-week period, focusing not simply on snowfall totals, but on how repeated storms, freezing rain, temperature fluctuations, and compaction affected the weight of the accumulated snow.
Using weather observations, climatological records, National Weather Service data, and snowfall measurements from multiple sources, our meteorologists developed a day-by-day analysis of how the snowpack changed leading up to the roof collapse.
What did AccuWeather do?
The investigation revealed that the property endured two major snowstorms, several smaller snowfalls, periods of freezing rain, and limited melting because temperatures remained below freezing for most of the three-week period. By the morning of January 27, undisturbed surfaces were covered by approximately 25 to 29 inches of snow and ice, with the snowpack weighing between 18.2 and 21.8 pounds per square foot.
Rather than examining only the final storm, the analysis demonstrated how weeks of accumulated winter weather steadily increased the load on structures before the collapse occurred.
This case highlights the importance of looking beyond simple snowfall totals when evaluating structural failures. Snow depth tells only part of the story; snow density, ice accumulation, rain absorption, settling, and repeated freeze-thaw cycles all influence the weight placed on a roof.
By reconstructing the complete weather history, not just a single storm, AccuWeather provided attorneys with the scientific context needed to evaluate how exceptional winter conditions may have contributed to the loss.
Why attorneys and insurers use AccuWeather Forensics
AccuWeather Forensic Meteorologists provide objective weather reconstruction and analysis that clarify environmental conditions surrounding disputed events. Using the greatest collection of weather-related data available, including publicly available and proprietary data sets, our experts analyze historical weather records, local observation data, snow and ice conditions, precipitation history and temperature trends to support insurance disputes, accident investigations, property damage cases and other litigation.
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