Meteorological conditions and snow-avalanche occurrence over three snow seasons (2017–2020) in Tasiapik Valley, Umiujaq, Nunavik
In this article, we study snow avalanche activity during the snow seasons of 2017–2020 using four automatic time-lapse cameras strategically positioned along the southwestern slope of Tasiapik Valley, near the village of Umiujaq, in Nunavik (northern Québec, Canada). Over the three snow seasons, cam...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15230430.2023.2194492 |
| _version_ | 1827070301478846464 |
|---|---|
| author | Jérémy Grenier Najat Bhiry Armelle Decaulne |
| author_facet | Jérémy Grenier Najat Bhiry Armelle Decaulne |
| author_sort | Jérémy Grenier |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this article, we study snow avalanche activity during the snow seasons of 2017–2020 using four automatic time-lapse cameras strategically positioned along the southwestern slope of Tasiapik Valley, near the village of Umiujaq, in Nunavik (northern Québec, Canada). Over the three snow seasons, cameras helped to detect evidence of 130 avalanche events, scattered over seventy-eight distinct avalanche days. The evolution of weather conditions prior to each avalanche release was detailed according to data from a nearby weather station. Moreover, the time of release, the release type, the surface texture, and whether rocky material was present in the deposits were documented from the photographs. To explore relationships between weather data and avalanche releases, conditional inference tree (CIT) analysis was conducted. Results of the CIT analysis showed that there are different weather patterns associated with avalanche releases depending on the season, and significant thresholds values were defined. In winter, the avalanche probability was greater when three-day snowfall total exceeded 10 cm. In spring, the avalanche probability was greater when cumulative melting degree-days were less than forty-six and when daily minimum air temperature was greater than 2°C. Moreover, cornice failures were found to be a major component of the avalanche dynamic in Tasiapik Valley, mainly because of the slope’s morphology. They have also been the cause of the three largest volume and longest runout avalanches observed by cameras in this study, highlighting potential risks for local communities. The probability of observing cornice failures is enhanced on days when maximum air temperature is greater than −8°C in winter conditions, whereas in spring conditions it is enhanced by daily maximum air temperature greater than 2.5°C. This study represents a necessary first step toward avalanche forecasting based on weather data in Nunavik. Efforts should be continued given the expected higher frequency of natural hazards in northern regions as a consequence of recent climate changes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T19:48:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-133c4927921f4310b1029ec7ca6c36a7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1523-0430 1938-4246 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-03-20T00:20:20Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-133c4927921f4310b1029ec7ca6c36a72024-10-10T13:13:29ZengTaylor & Francis GroupArctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research1523-04301938-42462023-12-0155110.1080/15230430.2023.2194492Meteorological conditions and snow-avalanche occurrence over three snow seasons (2017–2020) in Tasiapik Valley, Umiujaq, NunavikJérémy Grenier0Najat Bhiry1Armelle Decaulne2Département de géographie and Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, CanadaDépartement de géographie and Centre d’études nordiques, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, CanadaCNRS, Laboratoire LETG, Université de Nantes, LabEx DRIIHM, Nantes, FranceIn this article, we study snow avalanche activity during the snow seasons of 2017–2020 using four automatic time-lapse cameras strategically positioned along the southwestern slope of Tasiapik Valley, near the village of Umiujaq, in Nunavik (northern Québec, Canada). Over the three snow seasons, cameras helped to detect evidence of 130 avalanche events, scattered over seventy-eight distinct avalanche days. The evolution of weather conditions prior to each avalanche release was detailed according to data from a nearby weather station. Moreover, the time of release, the release type, the surface texture, and whether rocky material was present in the deposits were documented from the photographs. To explore relationships between weather data and avalanche releases, conditional inference tree (CIT) analysis was conducted. Results of the CIT analysis showed that there are different weather patterns associated with avalanche releases depending on the season, and significant thresholds values were defined. In winter, the avalanche probability was greater when three-day snowfall total exceeded 10 cm. In spring, the avalanche probability was greater when cumulative melting degree-days were less than forty-six and when daily minimum air temperature was greater than 2°C. Moreover, cornice failures were found to be a major component of the avalanche dynamic in Tasiapik Valley, mainly because of the slope’s morphology. They have also been the cause of the three largest volume and longest runout avalanches observed by cameras in this study, highlighting potential risks for local communities. The probability of observing cornice failures is enhanced on days when maximum air temperature is greater than −8°C in winter conditions, whereas in spring conditions it is enhanced by daily maximum air temperature greater than 2.5°C. This study represents a necessary first step toward avalanche forecasting based on weather data in Nunavik. Efforts should be continued given the expected higher frequency of natural hazards in northern regions as a consequence of recent climate changes.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15230430.2023.2194492Time-lapse camerassnow avalanchesweather dataNunavik |
| spellingShingle | Jérémy Grenier Najat Bhiry Armelle Decaulne Meteorological conditions and snow-avalanche occurrence over three snow seasons (2017–2020) in Tasiapik Valley, Umiujaq, Nunavik Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research Time-lapse cameras snow avalanches weather data Nunavik |
| title | Meteorological conditions and snow-avalanche occurrence over three snow seasons (2017–2020) in Tasiapik Valley, Umiujaq, Nunavik |
| title_full | Meteorological conditions and snow-avalanche occurrence over three snow seasons (2017–2020) in Tasiapik Valley, Umiujaq, Nunavik |
| title_fullStr | Meteorological conditions and snow-avalanche occurrence over three snow seasons (2017–2020) in Tasiapik Valley, Umiujaq, Nunavik |
| title_full_unstemmed | Meteorological conditions and snow-avalanche occurrence over three snow seasons (2017–2020) in Tasiapik Valley, Umiujaq, Nunavik |
| title_short | Meteorological conditions and snow-avalanche occurrence over three snow seasons (2017–2020) in Tasiapik Valley, Umiujaq, Nunavik |
| title_sort | meteorological conditions and snow avalanche occurrence over three snow seasons 2017 2020 in tasiapik valley umiujaq nunavik |
| topic | Time-lapse cameras snow avalanches weather data Nunavik |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15230430.2023.2194492 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jeremygrenier meteorologicalconditionsandsnowavalancheoccurrenceoverthreesnowseasons20172020intasiapikvalleyumiujaqnunavik AT najatbhiry meteorologicalconditionsandsnowavalancheoccurrenceoverthreesnowseasons20172020intasiapikvalleyumiujaqnunavik AT armelledecaulne meteorologicalconditionsandsnowavalancheoccurrenceoverthreesnowseasons20172020intasiapikvalleyumiujaqnunavik |