Radiation Balances of Melting Snow Covers at an Open Site in the Central Sierra Nevada, California

Abstract

The radiation balances of melting snowpacks for three seasons at an open site at the Central Sierra Snow Laboratory near Soda Springs, California were examined. The snow covers were examples of below‐normal, near‐normal and much‐above‐normal water equivalents. Two of the snow covers melted under generally clear skies in late spring while the other melted under cloudier conditions and at a time when less extraterrestrial radiation was available. Moreover, the snow covers were of very different densities, thereby allowing examination of a possible relationship between that characteristic and albedo. No such relationship was observed. Despite the dissimilarities in the conditions under which melt occurred, the disposition of solar radiation was similar for the three melt seasons. Albedos and their rates of decline through the melt season were similar for the three seasons. Absorbed solar radiation and a cloudiness index were useful predictors for daily net radiation, accounting for 71% of the total variance.