Journal
GEOCARTO INTERNATIONAL
Volume 30, Issue 1, Pages 62-81Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/10106049.2014.885089
Keywords
intermittent snow; snow zones; western United States; MODIS land surface temperature; MODIS snow cover; seasonal snow
Categories
Funding
- Western Mountain Initiative
- United States Geological Survey Climate and Land Use Change Mission Area
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This study maps the geographic extent of intermittent and seasonal snow cover in the western United States using thresholds of 2000-2010 average snow persistence derived from moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer snow cover area data from 1 January to 3 July. Results show seasonal snow covers 13% of the region, and intermittent snow covers 25%. The lower elevation boundaries of intermittent and seasonal snow zones increase from north-west to south-east. Intermittent snow is primarily found where average winter land surface temperatures are above freezing, whereas seasonal snow is primarily where winter temperatures are below freezing. However, temperatures at the boundary between intermittent and seasonal snow exhibit high regional variability, with average winter seasonal snow zone temperatures above freezing in west coast mountain ranges. Snow cover extent at peak accumulation is most variable at the upper elevations of the intermittent snow zone, highlighting the sensitivity of this snow zone boundary to climate conditions.
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