Abstract Snowpack properties vary dramatically over a wide range of spatial scales, from crystal microstructure to regional snow climates. The driving forces wind, energy balance, and precipitation interact with topography vegetation dominate depth variability at horizontal scales 1 1000 m. This study uses land surface elevation, data measured using airborne lidar three sites in north-central Colorado. Fractal dimensions are estimated the slope log-transformed variogram demonstrate...

Inverse weighted distance and regression nonexact techniques were evaluated for interpolating methods snow water equivalent (SWE) across the entire Colorado River Basin of western United States. A 1‐km spacing was used gridding telemetry (SNOTEL) measurements years 1993, 1998, 1999, which on average, represented higher than lower average years. Because terrain effects, (hypsometric elevation multivariate physiographic parameter) found to be superior approaches (inverse weighting squared,...

Abstract The spatial distribution of snow water equivalent (SWE) is a key variable in many regional‐scale land surface models. Currently, the assimilation point‐scale sensor data into these models commonly performed without consideration representativeness point with respect to model grid‐scale SWE. To improve understanding relationship between measurements and surrounding areas, we characterized depth SWE within 1‐, 4‐ 16‐km 2 grids 15 stations (snowpack telemetry California sensors)...

Abstract Snow sublimation is an important component of the snow mass balance, but spatial and temporal variability this process not well understood in mountain environments. This study combines a process‐based model (SnowModel) with eddy covariance (EC) measurements to investigate (1) spatio‐temporal simulated respect station observations, (2) contribution ablation snowpack, (3) sensitivity response bark beetle‐induced forest mortality climate warming across north‐central Colorado Rocky...

We review evidence of Holocene climate, vegetation, and cultural changes in Mongolia critically examine that Mongolia’s steppes are at the brink ecological tipping points Anthropocene. Until 5,000 YBP there is no lasting human influences on ecosystems, but after this time, vegetation soil physical properties signal domestic livestock grazing impacts steppe ecosystems. Contemporary (1991–2015) literature region by analysis livestock, remote-sensing population data reveal two potential points....

Abstract. The Andes span a length of 7000 km and are important for sustaining regional water supplies. Snow variability across this region has not been studied in detail due to sparse unevenly distributed instrumental climate data. We calculated snow persistence (SP) as the fraction time with cover each year between 2000 2016 from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite sensors (500 m, 8-day maximum extent). This analysis is conducted 8 36∘ S high frequency cloud...

Abstract Manually collected snow data are often considered as ground truth for many applications such climatological or hydrological studies. However, there sources of uncertainty that not quantified in detail. For the determination water equivalent cover (SWE), different core samplers and scales used, but they all based on same measurement principle. We conducted two field campaigns with 9 commonly used observational measurements research Europe northern America to better quantify...

Abstract Continued climate warming is reducing seasonal snowpacks in the western United States, where >50% of historical water supplies were snowmelt‐derived. In Upper Colorado River Basin, declining snow equivalent (SWE) and altered surface input (SWI, rainfall snowmelt available to enter soil) timing magnitude affect streamflow generation availability. To adapt effectively future conditions, we need understand current spatiotemporal distributions SWE SWI how they may change decades. We...

Abstract Fractal dimensions derived from log–log variograms are useful for characterizing spatial structure and scaling behavior in snow depth distributions. This study examines the temporal consistency of features at two sites using distributions lidar datasets collected 2003 2005. The accumulation patterns these years were substantially different, but both represent nearly average 1 April depths sites, with consistent statistical Two distinct fractal regions observed each variogram,...

Abstract Ultrasonic snow depth sensors are examined as a low cost, automated method to perform traditional measurements. In collaboration with the National Weather Service, nine sites across United States were equipped two manufacturers of ultrasonic sensors: Campbell Scientific SR-50 and Judd Communications sensor. Following standard observing protocol, manual measurements 6-h snowfall total on ground also gathered. Results show that report directly beneath average within ±1 cm...

Abstract. Snow depth variability over small distances can affect the representativeness of samples taken at local scale, which are often used to assess spatial distribution snow regional and basin scales. To plot intensive sampling was conducted during January April 2009 in 15 plots Rio Ésera Valley, central Spanish Pyrenees Mountains. Each (10 × 10 m; 100 m2) subdivided into a grid 1 m2 squares; corners each square yielded set 121 data points that provided an accurate measure (considered as...

Wildfire area has been increasing in most ecoregions across the western United States, including snow-dominated regions. These fires modify snow accumulation, ablation, and duration, but sign magnitude of these impacts can vary substantially between This study compares spatiotemporal patterns States wildfires zones. Results demonstrate significant increases wildfire from 1984 to 2020 throughout West, Sierra Nevada, Cascades, Basin Range, Northern Southern Rockies. In late zone, where mean...

Abstract The USGS precipitation‐runoff modelling system (PRMS) hydrologic model was used to evaluate experimental, gridded, 1 km 2 snow‐covered area (SCA) and snow water equivalent (SWE) products for two headwater basins within the Rio Grande (i.e. upper River basin) Salt Black drainages in southwestern USA. SCA product fraction of each pixel covered by derived from NOAA advanced very high‐resolution radiometer imagery. SWE developed multiplying estimates interpolated National Resources...

Abstract High‐resolution snow depth (SD) maps (1 × 1 m) obtained from terrestrial laser scanner measurements in a small catchment (0.55 km 2 ) the Pyrenees were used to assess small‐scale variability of snowpack at and sub‐grid scales. The coefficients variation are compared for various plot resolutions (5 5, 25 25, 49 49, 99 eight different days two seasons (2011–2012 2012–2013). We also studied relation between scale SD, topographic variables, variables. results showed that there was...

Abstract. This study uses a combination of field measurements and Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) operational snow data to understand the drivers density water equivalent (SWE) variability at basin scale (100s 1000s km2). Historic course snowpack observations were analyzed within multiple linear regression model estimate SWE directly from depth measurements. Snow surveys completed on or about 1 April 2011 2012 combined with NRCS investigate spatial near peak accumulation....

Abstract Snow sublimation can be an important component of the snow‐cover mass balance, and there is considerable interest in quantifying role this process within water energy balance snow‐covered regions. In recent years, robust eddy covariance (EC) instrumentation has been used to quantify snow over surfaces complex mountainous terrain. However, EC challenging for monitoring turbulent fluxes environments because intensive data, power, fetch requirements, alternative methods estimating are...

Abstract Depth‐based and radar‐based remote sensing methods (e.g., lidar, synthetic aperture radar) are promising approaches for remotely measuring snow water equivalent (SWE) at high spatial resolution. These require density estimates, obtained from in‐situ measurements or models, to calculate SWE. However, operationally limited, few models have seen extensive evaluation. Here, we combine near‐coincident, lidar‐measured depths with ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) two‐way travel times ( twt )...

Mountain snowpacks are important water supplies that susceptible to climate change, yet snow measurements sparse relative snowpack heterogeneity. We used remote sensing derive a spatiotemporal index of climatology reveals patterns in accumulation, persistence, and ablation. Then we examined how this relates climate, terrain, vegetation. Analyses were based on Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer eight-day cover from 2000 2010 for mountain watershed the Colorado Front Range, USA. The...

ABSTRACT This study develops a method for characterizing snow climatology in the Andes Mountains using 8‐day maximum binary cover product from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer sensor. The objectives are to: (1) identify regions with similar patterns and (2) persistence zones within these regions. Within area between 8° 39°S, defined minimum elevation of cover, rate change elevation, (3) timing cover. In tropical latitudes (8°–23°S), is constrained to high elevations (>5000...

Abstract. In areas with a seasonal snowpack, warmer climate could cause less snowfall, shallower and change in the timing of snowmelt, all which reduce winter albedo yield an increase net short-wave radiation. Trends temperature, precipitation (total as snow), days snow, were investigated over 60-year period from 1951 to 2010 for 20 meteorological stations across Northern Great Plains. This is area where snow accumulation shallow but persistent most (November March). The consistent trends...

The issues that ice and snow scholars are defining addressing becoming more urgent, coupled with the increasing scope of such [...]

Drought is a temporary precipitation anomaly that affects other hydrological variables and can impact large areas, causing devastating effects on agriculture, environment, water supplies. Climate change increasing the frequency of droughts, their intensity expected to rise in future.In snow-dominated catchments, monitoring analyzing meteorological (precipitation) droughts (associated with snow cover area) crucial due importance resources. These regions are particularly sensitive climate...

The Earth's spatial heterogeneity and its climate make certain areas more sensitive to change. Its effects in these regions become evident earlier than others. Snow-dominated catchments, where a significant portion of precipitation falls as snow, are particularly change serve excellent observatories for both current past effects. These act early warning systems the rest world due their high sensitivity change.Recent scientific literature highlights reductions snow across various context...