Spatiotemporal snow water storage uncertainty in the midlatitude American Cordillera

Abstract 3), high- and moderate-resolution products (i.e., those with resolutions less than ∼ 10  km) are in much better agreement (284 ± 14  km3; overestimated by 6 %) compared to low-resolution products (127 ± 54  km3; underestimated by 53 %). In comparison to the Andes-SR peak snow storage (29 km3), all other products show large uncertainty and bias (19 ± 16  km3; underestimated by 34 %). Examination of spatial patterns related to orographic effects showed that only the high- to moderate-resolution Snow Data Assimilation System (SNODAS) and University of Arizona (UA) products show comparable estimates of windward–leeward SWE patterns over a subdomain (Sierra Nevada) of the WUS. Coarser products distribute too much snow on the leeward side in both the Sierra Nevada and Andes, missing orographic and rain shadow patterns that have important hydrological implications. The uncertainty of peak seasonal snow storage is primarily explained by precipitation uncertainty in both the WUS (R 2 = 0.55) and Andes (R 2 = 0.84). Despite using similar forcing inputs, snow storage diverges significantly within the ECMWF Reanalysis v5 (ERA5) (i.e., ERA5 vs. ERA5-Land) products and the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) (modeled with Noah, Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC), and Catchment model) products due to resolution-induced elevation differences and/or differing model process representation related to rain–snow partitioning and accumulation-season snowmelt generation. The availability and use of in situ precipitation and snow measurements (i.e., in WUS) in some products adds value by reducing snow storage uncertainty; however, where such data are limited, i.e., in the Andes, significant biases and uncertainty exist.

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Spatiotemporal snow water storage uncertainty in the midlatitude American Cordillera ; volume:17 ; number:12 ; year:2023 ; pages:5175-5195 ; extent:21 ; The Cryosphere ; 17, Heft 12 (2023), 5175-5195 (gesamt 21)

Contributors, Places and Time

• Creator: Fang, Yiwen ; Liu, Yufei ; Li, Dongyue ; Sun, Haorui ; Margulis, Steven A.

Further information

• DOI: 10.5194/tc-17-5175-2023
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2023121403352171011061
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 15.08.2025, 7:23 AM CEST