Recent decreases in snow water storage in western North America
Abstract Mountain snowpacks act as natural water towers, storing winter precipitation until summer months when downstream water demand is greatest. We introduce a Snow Storage Index (SSI), representing the temporal phase difference between daily precipitation and surface water inputs—sum of rainfall...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00751-3 |
| _version_ | 1797817756472573952 |
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| author | Katherine E. Hale Keith S. Jennings Keith N. Musselman Ben Livneh Noah P. Molotch |
| author_facet | Katherine E. Hale Keith S. Jennings Keith N. Musselman Ben Livneh Noah P. Molotch |
| author_sort | Katherine E. Hale |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Mountain snowpacks act as natural water towers, storing winter precipitation until summer months when downstream water demand is greatest. We introduce a Snow Storage Index (SSI), representing the temporal phase difference between daily precipitation and surface water inputs—sum of rainfall and snowmelt into terrestrial systems—weighted by relative magnitudes. Different from snow water equivalent or snow fraction, the SSI represents the degree to which the snowpack delays the timing and magnitude of surface water inputs relative to precipitation, a fundamental component of how snow water storage influences the hydrologic cycle. In western North America, annual SSI has decreased (p < 0.05) from 1950–2013 in over 25% of mountainous areas, as a result of substantially earlier snowmelt and rainfall in spring months, with additional declines in winter precipitation. The SSI and associated trends offer a new perspective on hydrologic sensitivity to climate change which have broad implications for water resources and ecosystems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T08:58:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-29f2de9717864640b6c6d1313743f3d2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T08:58:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj.art-29f2de9717864640b6c6d1313743f3d22023-05-28T11:28:30ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352023-05-014111110.1038/s43247-023-00751-3Recent decreases in snow water storage in western North AmericaKatherine E. Hale0Keith S. Jennings1Keith N. Musselman2Ben Livneh3Noah P. Molotch4Department of Geography, University of Colorado at BoulderLynkerDepartment of Geography, University of Colorado at BoulderCooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at BoulderDepartment of Geography, University of Colorado at BoulderAbstract Mountain snowpacks act as natural water towers, storing winter precipitation until summer months when downstream water demand is greatest. We introduce a Snow Storage Index (SSI), representing the temporal phase difference between daily precipitation and surface water inputs—sum of rainfall and snowmelt into terrestrial systems—weighted by relative magnitudes. Different from snow water equivalent or snow fraction, the SSI represents the degree to which the snowpack delays the timing and magnitude of surface water inputs relative to precipitation, a fundamental component of how snow water storage influences the hydrologic cycle. In western North America, annual SSI has decreased (p < 0.05) from 1950–2013 in over 25% of mountainous areas, as a result of substantially earlier snowmelt and rainfall in spring months, with additional declines in winter precipitation. The SSI and associated trends offer a new perspective on hydrologic sensitivity to climate change which have broad implications for water resources and ecosystems.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00751-3 |
| spellingShingle | Katherine E. Hale Keith S. Jennings Keith N. Musselman Ben Livneh Noah P. Molotch Recent decreases in snow water storage in western North America Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Recent decreases in snow water storage in western North America |
| title_full | Recent decreases in snow water storage in western North America |
| title_fullStr | Recent decreases in snow water storage in western North America |
| title_full_unstemmed | Recent decreases in snow water storage in western North America |
| title_short | Recent decreases in snow water storage in western North America |
| title_sort | recent decreases in snow water storage in western north america |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00751-3 |
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