Snow Cover

• Main Author: Robinson, David A.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2017
• Subjects: Sea ice
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9781118786352.wbieg1129; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2F9781118786352.wbieg1129; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/9781118786352.wbieg1129

Snow covers approximately 30% of the earth's land surface on a seasonal basis, with additional coverage over alpine glaciers, polar ice sheets, and sea ice. The physical characteristics of a snow‐covered landscape, including its influence on surface reflectance, result in snow playing a critical role in the climate system. The water content of a snowpack is important to the hydrologic regime in many locations, whether serving as a reservoir or as a flood threat. Snow extent is an important climate variable to monitor when assessing climate change, as it is closely associated with temperature, moisture, and atmospheric circulation. Snow cover, or the lack thereof, is of considerable importance for decision‐makers in transportation, recreation, utility, and other sectors of local and global economies.