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contributor authorMcCabe, Gregory J.
contributor authorWolock, David M.
contributor authorValentin, Melissa
date accessioned2019-09-19T10:02:05Z
date available2019-09-19T10:02:05Z
date copyright4/18/2018 12:00:00 AM
date issued2018
identifier otherjhm-d-17-0227.1.pdf
identifier urihttp://yetl.yabesh.ir/yetl1/handle/yetl/4260810
description abstractAbstractWinter snowfall and accumulation is an important component of the surface water supply in the western United States. In these areas, increasing winter temperatures T associated with global warming can influence the amount of winter precipitation P that falls as snow S. In this study we examine long-term trends in the fraction of winter P that falls as S (Sfrac) for 175 hydrologic units (HUs) in snow-covered areas of the western United States for the period 1951?2014. Because S is a substantial contributor to runoff R across most of the western United States, we also examine long-term trends in water-year runoff efficiency [computed as water-year R/water-year P (Reff)] for the same 175 HUs. In that most S records are short in length, we use model-simulated S and R from a monthly water balance model. Results for Sfrac indicate long-term negative trends for most of the 175 HUs, with negative trends for 139 (~79%) of the HUs being statistically significant at a 95% confidence level (p = 0.05). Additionally, results indicate that the long-term negative trends in Sfrac have been largely driven by increases in T. In contrast, time series of Reff for the 175 HUs indicate a mix of positive and negative long-term trends, with few trends being statistically significant (at p = 0.05). Although there has been a notable shift in the timing of R to earlier in the year for most HUs, there have not been substantial decreases in water-year R for the 175 HUs.
publisherAmerican Meteorological Society
titleWarming is Driving Decreases in Snow Fractions While Runoff Efficiency Remains Mostly Unchanged in Snow-Covered Areas of the Western United States
typeJournal Paper
journal volume19
journal issue5
journal titleJournal of Hydrometeorology
identifier doi10.1175/JHM-D-17-0227.1
journal fristpage803
journal lastpage814
treeJournal of Hydrometeorology:;2018:;volume 019:;issue 005
contenttypeFulltext


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