Global snow zone maps and trends in snow persistence 2001–2016

Abstract

Seasonal snow is a critical component of the surface energy balance and hydrologic cycle, yet global maps of seasonal snow boundaries are not readily available. Snow persistence (SP), the fraction of a year that snow is present on the ground, is an easily globally observed snow metric that can be used to map snow zones globally. Here we map snow zones across the globe using SP calculated from the MODIS10A2 product; evaluate how SP relates to precipitation, temperature, and climate indices; and examine trends in annual SP for 2001–2016. In the Northern Hemisphere, intermittent, seasonal, and permanent snow zones occupy a far greater percent (63%) of the land surface than in the Southern Hemisphere (<5%) where the low snow zone dominates (>95%). SP is most variable from year to year near the snow line, which has a relatively consistent decrease in elevation with increasing latitude across all continents. At lower elevations, SP is typically best correlated with temperature, whereas precipitation has greater relative importance for SP at high elevations. SP is best correlated with the North Atlantic Oscillation in all continents except South America, where the Southern Annular Mode is a stronger influence, and Africa, where the strongest correlation is with the Oceanic Niño Index. Areas with decreasing SP trends cover 5.8% of snow zone areas, whereas those with increasing trends cover 1.0% of this area. The largest areas of declining SP are in the seasonal snow zones of the Northern Hemisphere. Trend patterns vary within individual regions, with elevation, and on windward‐leeward sides of the mountains. This study supplies a framework for comparing snow between regions, highlights areas with snow changes, and can facilitate analyses of why snow changes vary within and between regions.