Estimation of volume of snowmelt from temperature of snow line and residual snow amount

Abstract

The relation between snowmelt and cumulative air temperature or cumulative areal air temperature has been analysed in accordance with the degree-day method applied to hydrological data for the Okutadami basin. On occasion, the volumes of snowmelt obtained by the conventional degree-day method were found to be unsatisfactory. In this paper, a new snowmelt runoff model is proposed involving not only the volume of snowmelt and cumulative air temperature but also residual snow amount. The resultant formula is applicable to an area where the effect of direct sunshine is negligible, i.e., either the weather is cloudy or the mountain slopes northward (in the northern hemisphere).