Observed Inconsistencies between Snow Extent and Snow Depth Variability at Regional/Continental Scales

Abstract

Abstract Snow extent and snow depth are two related characteristics of a snowpack, but they do not need to be mutually consistent. Differences between these two variables at local scales are readily apparent. However, at larger scales, which interact with atmospheric circulation and climate, snow extent is the primary variable considered, owing largely to the scarcity of snow depth data. In this study, three regional-/continental-scale gridded snow depth/snow water equivalent (SWE) datasets, derived from station observations or passive microwave satellite sensors, are utilized to quantitatively evaluate the relationship between snow extent and snow depth/SWE over North America. Various statistical methods are used to ensure the robustness of the results, including correlations, composites, and singular value decomposition analyses. Results indicate that continental-scale snow depth variations are substantial in their own right and that depth and extent anomalies are largely unrelated over broad high-latitude regions north of the snow line. Snow extent and snow depth vary more consistently in the vicinity of the snow line, especially in autumn and spring, during which precipitation and ablation can affect both variables. It is also found that deeper (shallower) winter snow translates into larger (smaller) snow-covered areas in the following spring/summer season, and also a longer (shorter) snow season, but only in specific regions. These results suggest a possible influence of snow depth on spring and summer climate. Overall, the observed lack of mutual consistency between these two snowpack variables at continental/regional scales suggests that snow depth variations may be of sufficiently large magnitude, spatial scope, and temporal duration to interact with regional–hemispheric climate, in a manner unrelated to the more extensively studied snow extent variations.