Future Changes in Early Spring Wind Speed and Surface Warming Acceleration in Snow‐Covered Areas.

We use a convection‐permitting regional climate model to investigate the effect of reduced snow cover on near‐surface wind speeds over complex Japanese terrain under a global warming scenario. At synoptic scales, global warming weakens the winter monsoon, which in turn weakens near‐surface winds around Japan. Reductions in snow cover, which are driven by global warming, drive localized acceleration of rising surface temperatures and prevent the formation of a stable atmospheric boundary layer. Collapse of the stable layer drives an increase in near‐surface wind speed and air temperature. This effect is stronger at low elevations and in basins, but does not occur at high elevations where there is no stable layer under current climate conditions, despite increased ground warming because of reduced snow cover under global warming conditions. A strong, stable, near‐surface atmospheric layer under current climate conditions can therefore influence future changes in wind speed and surface air temperature in snow‐covered areas. Key Points: Long‐term high‐resolution simulations project future changes in local wind speed and air temperature over complex terrainCollapse of the stable near‐surface atmospheric layer due to reduced snowcover strengthens wind and drives increases in surface temperatureThe presence or absence of the stable layer under current climate conditions influences the local response to future warming [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]