The development of a rule-based spatial model of wind transport and deposition of snow

This paper describes the early stages in the development and testing of a spatio-temporal rule-based model of snow transport by wind over complex terrain. The model uses a cell-based approach and takes into account a range of meteorological, snow-pack and topographic variables. Simple rules are used to determine movement of material from cell-to-cell within the model.

A geographic information system is utilized in modelling wind vectors and the influence of topography upon those vectors, and creating the resulting pattern of snow accumulation at a resolution of 50 m. These patterns of accumulation have been compared with empirical work in the field and, although field data were limited, a good qualitative correlation has been found; for example, modelled accumulations correlate with known areas of accumulation such as gullies and hollows.