The Changing Face of Arctic Snow Cover: A Synthesis of Observed and Projected Changes

Terry V. Callaghan*, Margareta Johansson, Ross D. Brown, Pavel Ya Groisman, Niklas Labba, Vladimir Radionov, Roger G. Barry, Olga N. Bulygina, Richard L. H. Essery, D. M. Frolov, Vladimir N. Golubev, Thomas C. Grenfell, Marina N. Petrushina, Vyacheslav N. Razuvaev, David A. Robinson, Peter Romanov, Drew Shindell, Andrey B. Shmakin, Sergey A. Sokratov, Stephen WarrenDaquing Yang

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Analysis of in situ and satellite data shows evidence of different regional snow cover responses to the widespread warming and increasing winter precipitation that has characterized the Arctic climate for the past 40-50 years. The largest and most rapid decreases in snow water equivalent (SWE) and snow cover duration (SCD) are observed over maritime regions of the Arctic with the highest precipitation amounts. There is also evidence of marked differences in the response of snow cover between the North American and Eurasian sectors of the Arctic, with the North American sector exhibiting decreases in snow cover and snow depth over the entire period of available in situ observations from around 1950, while widespread decreases in snow cover are not apparent over Eurasia until after around 1980. However, snow depths are increasing in many regions of Eurasia. Warming and more frequent winter thaws are contributing to changes in snow pack structure with important implications for land use and provision of ecosystem services. Projected changes in snow cover from Global Climate Models for the 2050 period indicate increases in maximum SWE of up to 15% over much of the Arctic, with the largest increases (15-30%) over the Siberian sector. In contrast, SCD is projected to decrease by about 10-20% over much of the Arctic, with the smallest decreases over Siberia (

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)17-31
Number of pages15
JournalAMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment
Volume40
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2011

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • Snow depth
  • Snow water equivalent
  • Snow cover duration
  • Snow cover extent
  • CLIMATE-CHANGE
  • NORTHERN EURASIA
  • DENSITY-DEPENDENCE
  • SVALBARD REINDEER
  • POPULATION
  • SIMULATION
  • PRECIPITATION
  • TEMPERATURE
  • HEMISPHERE
  • DYNAMICS

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