The gage has a heating element to melt the snow as it collects in the cone of the bucket.
From the sciencedaily.com
Between 1720 and 1760, the Churrigueresque column, or estipite, in the shape of an inverted cone or obelisk, was established as a central element of ornamental decoration.
From the en.wikipedia.org
The result is a geometrical shape, such as a sphere, a cone or a cylinder, that shows one example of the design element that was repeated to make the symmetrical pattern.
From the sciencedaily.com
Today's modern lining is the most difficult element to measure, since it consists of trapezoid-shaped strips of canvas assembled to form the shape of a truncated cone.