Snowmelt response to simulated warming across a large elevation gradient, southern Sierra Nevada, California
In a warmer climate, the fraction of annual meltwater produced at high melt rates in mountainous areas is projected to decline due to a contraction of the snow-cover season, causing melt to occur earlier and under lower energy conditions. How snowmelt rates, including extreme events relevant to floo...
Published in: | The Cryosphere |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2017
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2847-2017 https://doaj.org/article/47abc9bd6a994de488a1c0ad84166a64 |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:47abc9bd6a994de488a1c0ad84166a64 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:47abc9bd6a994de488a1c0ad84166a64 2023-05-15T18:32:26+02:00 Snowmelt response to simulated warming across a large elevation gradient, southern Sierra Nevada, California K. N. Musselman N. P. Molotch S. A. Margulis 2017-12-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2847-2017 https://doaj.org/article/47abc9bd6a994de488a1c0ad84166a64 EN eng Copernicus Publications https://www.the-cryosphere.net/11/2847/2017/tc-11-2847-2017.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-11-2847-2017 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/47abc9bd6a994de488a1c0ad84166a64 The Cryosphere, Vol 11, Pp 2847-2866 (2017) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2017 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2847-2017 2022-12-31T11:41:00Z In a warmer climate, the fraction of annual meltwater produced at high melt rates in mountainous areas is projected to decline due to a contraction of the snow-cover season, causing melt to occur earlier and under lower energy conditions. How snowmelt rates, including extreme events relevant to flood risk, may respond to a range of warming over a mountain front is poorly known. We present a model sensitivity study of snowmelt response to warming across a 3600 m elevation gradient in the southern Sierra Nevada, USA. A snow model was run for three distinct years and verified against extensive ground observations. To simulate the impact of climate warming on meltwater production, measured meteorological conditions were modified by +1 to +6 °C. The total annual snow water volume exhibited linear reductions (−10 % °C −1 ) consistent with previous studies. However, the sensitivity of snowmelt rates to successive degrees of warming varied nonlinearly with elevation. Middle elevations and years with more snowfall were prone to the largest reductions in snowmelt rates, with lesser changes simulated at higher elevations. Importantly, simulated warming causes extreme daily snowmelt (99th percentiles) to increase in spatial extent and intensity, and shift from spring to winter. The results offer insight into the sensitivity of mountain snow water resources and how the rate and timing of water availability may change in a warmer climate. The identification of future climate conditions that may increase extreme melt events is needed to address the climate resilience of regional flood control systems. Article in Journal/Newspaper The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles The Cryosphere 11 6 2847 2866 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 K. N. Musselman N. P. Molotch S. A. Margulis Snowmelt response to simulated warming across a large elevation gradient, southern Sierra Nevada, California |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
In a warmer climate, the fraction of annual meltwater produced at high melt rates in mountainous areas is projected to decline due to a contraction of the snow-cover season, causing melt to occur earlier and under lower energy conditions. How snowmelt rates, including extreme events relevant to flood risk, may respond to a range of warming over a mountain front is poorly known. We present a model sensitivity study of snowmelt response to warming across a 3600 m elevation gradient in the southern Sierra Nevada, USA. A snow model was run for three distinct years and verified against extensive ground observations. To simulate the impact of climate warming on meltwater production, measured meteorological conditions were modified by +1 to +6 °C. The total annual snow water volume exhibited linear reductions (−10 % °C −1 ) consistent with previous studies. However, the sensitivity of snowmelt rates to successive degrees of warming varied nonlinearly with elevation. Middle elevations and years with more snowfall were prone to the largest reductions in snowmelt rates, with lesser changes simulated at higher elevations. Importantly, simulated warming causes extreme daily snowmelt (99th percentiles) to increase in spatial extent and intensity, and shift from spring to winter. The results offer insight into the sensitivity of mountain snow water resources and how the rate and timing of water availability may change in a warmer climate. The identification of future climate conditions that may increase extreme melt events is needed to address the climate resilience of regional flood control systems. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
K. N. Musselman N. P. Molotch S. A. Margulis |
author_facet |
K. N. Musselman N. P. Molotch S. A. Margulis |
author_sort |
K. N. Musselman |
title |
Snowmelt response to simulated warming across a large elevation gradient, southern Sierra Nevada, California |
title_short |
Snowmelt response to simulated warming across a large elevation gradient, southern Sierra Nevada, California |
title_full |
Snowmelt response to simulated warming across a large elevation gradient, southern Sierra Nevada, California |
title_fullStr |
Snowmelt response to simulated warming across a large elevation gradient, southern Sierra Nevada, California |
title_full_unstemmed |
Snowmelt response to simulated warming across a large elevation gradient, southern Sierra Nevada, California |
title_sort |
snowmelt response to simulated warming across a large elevation gradient, southern sierra nevada, california |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2847-2017 https://doaj.org/article/47abc9bd6a994de488a1c0ad84166a64 |
genre |
The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 11, Pp 2847-2866 (2017) |
op_relation |
https://www.the-cryosphere.net/11/2847/2017/tc-11-2847-2017.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-11-2847-2017 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/47abc9bd6a994de488a1c0ad84166a64 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2847-2017 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
2847 |
op_container_end_page |
2866 |
_version_ |
1766216546583052288 |