Abstract
The frequency and intensity of flood events have been increasing recently under the warming climate, with snowmelt floods being a significant part. As an effective manner of simulating snowmelt flood, snowmelt models have attracted more and more attention. Through comprehensive analysis of the literature, this paper reviewed the characteristics and current status of different types of snowmelt models, as well as the different coupling methods of models for runoff generation and confluence. We then discussed key issues in snowmelt modelling, including blowing snow model, frozen ground model, and rain-on-snow model. Finally, we give some perspectives from four aspects: data, model structure, forecast and early warning, and forecast and estimation. At present, most of the snowmelt models do not have blowing snow or frozen ground modules. Explicit consideration of blowing snow and soil freezing/thawing processes can improve the accuracy of snowmelt runoff simulations. With climate warming, rain-on-snow events have increased, but the mechanism of enhanced rain and snow mixed flooding is still unclear, particularly for the mechanism of rain-snow-ice mixed runoff generation. The observation and simulation of rain and snow processes urgently need further study. A distributed physical snowmelt model based on energy balance is an advanced tool for snowmelt simulation, but the model structure and parameter schemes still need further improvements. Moreover, the integration of satellite-based snow products, isotopes, and terrestrial water storage change, monitored by gravity satellites, can help improve the calibration and validation of snowmelt models.
Highlights
Accepted: 15 October 2021Floods are some of the most frequent and severe natural disasters in the world [1].Since the 20th century, river floods have caused approximately 7 million deaths and direct annual losses of 10.4 billion U.S dollars [2]
Due to increasing rain-on-snow (ROS) events, the frequency and intensity of rain and snow mixed floods have increased significantly, and the losses caused by flood disasters are increasing [5]
Keith et al [140] used Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) to analyze the freezing and thawing process in the Mississippi River basin. They found that the infiltration of precipitation or snowmelt water would decrease, and the runoff of the watershed would increase with permafrost coverage
Summary
Floods are some of the most frequent and severe natural disasters in the world [1]. Since the 20th century, river floods have caused approximately 7 million deaths and direct annual losses of 10.4 billion U.S dollars [2]. Rain and snow mixed floods have occurred frequently in China. A rain and snow mixed flood was observed in the upper reaches of the Heihe River in the Qilian Mountains on 17 June 2013. Accurate simulation of the snowmelt flood process is of great importance. Accurate simulation of the snowmelt flood process is of great importance for for flood disaster prevention and mitigation. Massive snowMassive accumulation in mountainous may cause flooding once flooding once there is a rapid heating or rain event. If there is a rainfall event on snow, it is very diffito simulate the runoff generation process due to thetomixture of rain. Snowmelt cult to simulate the runoff generation process due the mixture of and rain snow.
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