1. Observed snow depth trends in the European Alps: 1971 to 2019
- Author
-
M. Matiu, A. Crespi, G. Bertoldi, C. M. Carmagnola, C. Marty, S. Morin, W. Schöner, D. Cat Berro, G. Chiogna, L. De Gregorio, S. Kotlarski, B. Majone, G. Resch, S. Terzago, M. Valt, W. Beozzo, P. Cianfarra, I. Gouttevin, G. Marcolini, C. Notarnicola, M. Petitta, S. C. Scherrer, U. Strasser, M. Winkler, M. Zebisch, A. Cicogna, R. Cremonini, A. Debernardi, M. Faletto, M. Gaddo, L. Giovannini, L. Mercalli, J.-M. Soubeyroux, A. Sušnik, A. Trenti, S. Urbani, V. Weilguni, European Academy Bozen/Bolzano (EURAC), Centre d'Etudes de la Neige (CEN), Centre national de recherches météorologiques (CNRM), Météo France-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo France-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Météo France, Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Météo-France -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG ), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA)-Météo-France -Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB [Université de Savoie] [Université de Chambéry])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Météo-France Direction Interrégionale Sud-Est (DIRSE), and Météo-France
- Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Range (biology) ,0208 environmental biotechnology ,02 engineering and technology ,Forcing (mathematics) ,010502 geochemistry & geophysics ,Spatial distribution ,01 natural sciences ,[SDU.STU.GL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Glaciology ,[SDU.STU.HY]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Hydrology ,lcsh:Environmental sciences ,ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Earth-Surface Processes ,Water Science and Technology ,Climate zones ,lcsh:GE1-350 ,lcsh:QE1-996.5 ,Elevation ,Albedo ,Snow ,ddc ,020801 environmental engineering ,lcsh:Geology ,[SDU.STU.CL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Climatology ,Environmental science ,Physical geography ,Snow cover - Abstract
The European Alps stretch over a range of climate zones which affect the spatial distribution of snow. Previous analyses of station observations of snow were confined to regional analyses. Here, we present an Alpine-wide analysis of snow depth from six Alpine countries – Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, and Switzerland – including altogether more than 2000 stations of which more than 800 were used for the trend assessment. Using a principal component analysis and k-means clustering, we identified five main modes of variability and five regions which match the climatic forcing zones: north and high Alpine, north-east, north-west, south-east, and south and high Alpine. Linear trends of monthly mean snow depth between 1971 and 2019 showed decreases in snow depth for most stations from November to May. The average trend among all stations for seasonal (November to May) mean snow depth was −8.4 % per decade, for seasonal maximum snow depth −5.6 % per decade, and for seasonal snow cover duration −5.6 % per decade. Stronger and more significant trends were observed for periods and elevations where the transition from snow to snow-free occurs, which is consistent with an enhanced albedo feedback. Additionally, regional trends differed substantially at the same elevation, which challenges the notion of generalizing results from one region to another or to the whole Alps. This study presents an analysis of station snow depth series with the most comprehensive spatial coverage in the European Alps to date.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF