A thermal plate precipitation measurement system (300) and a method of operating the thermal plate precipitation measurement system (300) is provided. The thermal plate precipitation measurement system (300) includes a first thermal plate system (301A) with first and second thermal plates (302A, 303A) and a second thermal plate system (301B) with first and second thermal plates (302B, 303B). A precipitation rate can be determined by configuring the first and second thermal plates (302A, 303A) of the first thermal plate system (301A) at a first temperature and configuring the first and second thermal plates (302B, 303B) of the second thermal plate system (301B) at a second temperature different than the first temperature. A differential power consumption between the first and second thermal plates (302A, 303A, 302B, 303B) of each of the first and second thermal plate systems (301A, 301B) can be determined and the precipitation rate can be determined based on a difference between the differential power consumption of the first thermal plate system (301A) and the differential power consumption of the second thermal plate system (301B).