Articles | Volume 18, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4657-2014
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-4657-2014
Research article
 | 
26 Nov 2014
Research article |  | 26 Nov 2014

Model simulations of the modulating effect of the snow cover in a rain-on-snow event

N. Wever, T. Jonas, C. Fierz, and M. Lehning

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Cited articles

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Short summary
We simulated a severe rain-on-snow event in the Swiss Alps in October 2011 with a detailed multi-layer snow cover model. We found a strong modulating effect of the incoming rainfall signal by the snow cover. Initially, water from both rainfall and snow melt was absorbed by the snowpack. But once the snowpack released the stored water, simulated outflow rates exceeded rainfall and snow melt rates. The simulations suggest that structural snowpack changes enhanced the outflow during this event.