Statistical Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Variations of Snowpack Density Using SNOTEL Data

Submitted by Armida on Fri, 02/15/2013 - 11:59
TitleStatistical Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Variations of Snowpack Density Using SNOTEL Data
Publication TypeConference Proceedings
Year of Conference2006
AuthorsMizukami, N., Perica S., and Hatch D.
Conference Name74th Annual Western Snow Conference
Series TitleProceedings of the 74th Annual Western Snow Conference
Date PublishedApril 2006
PublisherWestern Snow Conference
Conference LocationLas Cruces, NM
KeywordsSpatial characteristics, snowpack density, monthly density, SNOTEL, inverse-distance
Abstract

In this study, we examined the spatial and temporal characteristics of snowpack density, and developed climatological maps of average monthly snow density for the contiguous western United States. Monthly averages were computed from SNOTEL daily measurements of snow depth and snow water equivalent available from 1999 through 2004. Our analysis indicated significant evolution of average snowpack densities from November to April, but only small inter-annual variability, regardless of the geographic location. The inverse-distance technique was used to create gridded maps of average monthly snow depth estimates, showing modest large-scale variability of monthly snowpack density.
URLsites/westernsnowconference.org/PDFs/2006Mizukami.pdf