Forcing the snow-cover model SNOWPACK with forecasted weather data
Avalanche danger is often estimated based on snow cover stratigraphy and snow stability data. In Canada, single forecasting regions are very large (>50 000 km 2 ) and snow cover data are often not available. To provide additional information on the snow cover and its seasonal evolution the Swiss...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:cd5fbc8dcbbd4fd6ad8b900b4c750c10 2023-05-15T18:32:31+02:00 Forcing the snow-cover model SNOWPACK with forecasted weather data S. Bellaire J. B. Jamieson C. Fierz 2011-12-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-1115-2011 https://doaj.org/article/cd5fbc8dcbbd4fd6ad8b900b4c750c10 EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.the-cryosphere.net/5/1115/2011/tc-5-1115-2011.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-5-1115-2011 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/cd5fbc8dcbbd4fd6ad8b900b4c750c10 The Cryosphere, Vol 5, Iss 4, Pp 1115-1125 (2011) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2011 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-1115-2011 2022-12-31T13:59:44Z Avalanche danger is often estimated based on snow cover stratigraphy and snow stability data. In Canada, single forecasting regions are very large (>50 000 km 2 ) and snow cover data are often not available. To provide additional information on the snow cover and its seasonal evolution the Swiss snow cover model SNOWPACK was therefore coupled with a regional weather forecasting model GEM15. The output of GEM15 was compared to meteorological as well as snow cover data from Mt. Fidelity, British Columbia, Canada, for five winters between 2005 and 2010. Precipitation amounts are most difficult to predict for weather forecasting models. Therefore, we first assess the capability of the model chain to forecast new snow amounts and consequently snow depth. Forecasted precipitation amounts were generally over-estimated. The forecasted data were therefore filtered and used as input for the snow cover model. Comparison between the model output and manual observations showed that after pre-processing the input data the snow depth and new snow events were well modelled. In a case study two key factors of snow cover instability, i.e. surface hoar formation and crust formation were investigated at a single point. Over half of the relevant critical layers were reproduced. Overall, the model chain shows promising potential as a future forecasting tool for avalanche warning services in Canadian data sparse areas and could thus well be applied to similarly large regions elsewhere. However, a more detailed analysis of the simulated snow cover structure is still required. Article in Journal/Newspaper The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles British Columbia ENVELOPE(-125.003,-125.003,54.000,54.000) Canada The Cryosphere 5 4 1115 1125 |
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 S. Bellaire J. B. Jamieson C. Fierz Forcing the snow-cover model SNOWPACK with forecasted weather data |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Avalanche danger is often estimated based on snow cover stratigraphy and snow stability data. In Canada, single forecasting regions are very large (>50 000 km 2 ) and snow cover data are often not available. To provide additional information on the snow cover and its seasonal evolution the Swiss snow cover model SNOWPACK was therefore coupled with a regional weather forecasting model GEM15. The output of GEM15 was compared to meteorological as well as snow cover data from Mt. Fidelity, British Columbia, Canada, for five winters between 2005 and 2010. Precipitation amounts are most difficult to predict for weather forecasting models. Therefore, we first assess the capability of the model chain to forecast new snow amounts and consequently snow depth. Forecasted precipitation amounts were generally over-estimated. The forecasted data were therefore filtered and used as input for the snow cover model. Comparison between the model output and manual observations showed that after pre-processing the input data the snow depth and new snow events were well modelled. In a case study two key factors of snow cover instability, i.e. surface hoar formation and crust formation were investigated at a single point. Over half of the relevant critical layers were reproduced. Overall, the model chain shows promising potential as a future forecasting tool for avalanche warning services in Canadian data sparse areas and could thus well be applied to similarly large regions elsewhere. However, a more detailed analysis of the simulated snow cover structure is still required. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
S. Bellaire J. B. Jamieson C. Fierz |
author_facet |
S. Bellaire J. B. Jamieson C. Fierz |
author_sort |
S. Bellaire |
title |
Forcing the snow-cover model SNOWPACK with forecasted weather data |
title_short |
Forcing the snow-cover model SNOWPACK with forecasted weather data |
title_full |
Forcing the snow-cover model SNOWPACK with forecasted weather data |
title_fullStr |
Forcing the snow-cover model SNOWPACK with forecasted weather data |
title_full_unstemmed |
Forcing the snow-cover model SNOWPACK with forecasted weather data |
title_sort |
forcing the snow-cover model snowpack with forecasted weather data |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-1115-2011 https://doaj.org/article/cd5fbc8dcbbd4fd6ad8b900b4c750c10 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-125.003,-125.003,54.000,54.000) |
geographic |
British Columbia Canada |
geographic_facet |
British Columbia Canada |
genre |
The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 5, Iss 4, Pp 1115-1125 (2011) |
op_relation |
http://www.the-cryosphere.net/5/1115/2011/tc-5-1115-2011.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-5-1115-2011 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/cd5fbc8dcbbd4fd6ad8b900b4c750c10 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-1115-2011 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
5 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
1115 |
op_container_end_page |
1125 |
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1766216637154852864 |