Multiple Effects of Changes in Arctic Snow Cover

Abstract

Snow cover plays a major role in the climate, hydrological and ecological systems of the Arctic and other regions through its influence on the surface energy balance (e.g. reflectivity), water balance (e.g. water storage and release), thermal regimes (e.g. insulation), vegetation and trace gas fluxes. Feedbacks to the climate system have global consequences. The livelihoods and well-being of Arctic residents and many services for the wider population depend on snow conditions so changes have important consequences. Already, changing snow conditions, particularly reduced summer soil moisture, winter thaw events and rain-on-snow conditions have negatively affected commercial forestry, reindeer herding, some wild animal populations and vegetation. Reductions in snow cover are also adversely impacting indigenous peoples' access to traditional foods with negative impacts on human health and well-being. However, there are likely to be some benefits from a changing Arctic snow regime such as more even run-off from melting snow that favours hydropower operations.

Recent Declines in Warming and Vegetation Greening Trends over Pan-Arctic Tundra

“…Open water in this relatively warm oceanic area would be consistent with enhanced storminess and increased snowfall during spring or fall that could reduce TI-NDVI. Snow cover simulations from several reanalysis-driven snow cover reconstructions suggest increasing trends in annual maximum snow accumulation on Svalbard and Franz Josef Land over the past 30 years [60] which is consistent with observed increases in cold season precipitation over the Barents Sea sector of the Arctic and increases in winter snow depths over northern Eurasia [61].…”

Recent climatic, cryospheric, and hydrological changes over the interior of western Canada: a review and synthesis

“…For instance, it has a strong control on the surface energy exchange with the atmosphere, represents an important storage of water that is released during the spring melt period, and affects ground thermal regimes and surface vegetation through its insulating properties. Changes and variability in snow cover therefore have a large impact on many other Earth system processes in these regions, and feedbacks with the climate system can intensify local and regional patterns of change and have global implications (Callaghan et al, 2011b). Snowpack evolution is closely linked with climatic elements such as air temperature and precipitation, and interannual variations and trends in snow cover conditions coincide strongly with those of such climate variables.…”

Two years with extreme and little snowfall: effects on energy partitioning and surface energy exchange in a high-Arctic tundra ecosystem

“…The disappearance of the snow and related increase in surface heating mark the transition into a convective summertype precipitation regime (Callaghan et al, 2011b), which initiates a rapid and distinct change in both plant metabolism and surface energy balance. Ongoing and predicted climate change, however, promotes an increase in atmospheric moisture, winter snowfall over land areas (Rawlins et al, 2010) and variability in the amount of snowfall (Callaghan et al, 2005;Kattsov et al, 2005;Stocker et al, 2013) while higher temperatures stimulate an earlier snowmelt and transition to convective precipitation patterns (Groisman et al, 1994).…”