The role of cyclone activity in snow accumulation on Arctic sea ice

Abstract

Identifying the mechanisms controlling the timing and magnitude of snow accumulation on sea ice is crucial for understanding snow’s net effect on the surface energy budget and sea-ice mass balance. Here, we analyze the role of cyclone activity on the seasonal buildup of snow on Arctic sea ice using model, satellite, and in situ data over 1979–2016. On average, 44% of the variability in monthly snow accumulation was controlled by cyclone snowfall and 29% by sea-ice freeze-up. However, there were strong spatio-temporal differences. Cyclone snowfall comprised ~50% of total snowfall in the Pacific compared to 83% in the Atlantic. While cyclones are stronger in the Atlantic, Pacific snow accumulation is more sensitive to cyclone strength. These findings highlight the heterogeneity in atmosphere-snow-ice interactions across the Arctic, and emphasize the need to scrutinize mechanisms governing cyclone activity to better understand their effects on the Arctic snow-ice system with anthropogenic warming.

Arctic Snow Depth and Sea Ice Thickness From ICESat‐2 and CryoSat‐2 Freeboards: A First Examination

“…The correspondence in the h Δf , h ERA ‐ I , and h ERA5 composites as well as the IS‐2 and CS‐2 freeboard composites suggests that this regional increase in snow depth is due to enhanced snow accumulation. To investigate snowfall conditions for this season, we examined the number, strength, and snowfall of cyclones, which is the primary source of snow accumulation in the Chukchi region (Webster et al, 2019). Using the Melbourne University Cyclone Tracker (Simmonds et al, 2008), we found heightened cyclone frequency, intensity, and cyclone‐associated snowfall in the western Chukchi region for the 2018–2019 winter period relative to the 1979–2019 climatological mean (Figure 5).…”

Impacts of synoptic-scale cyclones on Arctic sea-ice concentration: a systematic analysis

“…Precipitation associated with cyclone passage over the Arctic Ocean can be in the form of snow or rain. Cyclones are the primary source of snow on sea ice in the Arctic (Webster and others, 2019), though the fraction of precipitation falling as rain is increasing and expected to dominate in the future (Screen and Simmonds, 2012; Bintanja and Andry, 2017). Rainfall decreases the surface albedo, resulting in greater energy absorption, while fresh snowfall increases surface albedo (Screen and others, 2011) and slows melt in summer.…”

Snow Property Controls on Modeled Ku-Band Altimeter Estimates of First-Year Sea Ice Thickness: Case Studies From the Canadian and Norwegian Arctic

“…Sea ice flooding is dependent on whether the sea ice is permeable or there exist potential pathways such as cracks [32], [36]. In the Arctic, flooding is likely to occur frequently in the Atlantic sector, which experiences more precipitation and thicker snow on thinner sea ice [36], [37] compared to other regions.…”