Articles | Volume 27, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2099-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-2099-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
02 Jun 2023
Research article |
| 02 Jun 2023
| 02 Jun 2023
Canopy structure, topography, and weather are equally important drivers of small-scale snow cover dynamics in sub-alpine forests
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), 7260 Davos Dorf,
Switzerland
Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Université de Toulouse,
Météo-France, CNRS, CNRM, Centre d'Études de la Neige, 38100 St. Martin d'Hères, France
Invited contribution by Giulia Mazzotti, recipient of the EGU Hydrological Sciences Virtual Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation Award 2021.
Clare Webster
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), 7260 Davos Dorf,
Switzerland
Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
Louis Quéno
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), 7260 Davos Dorf,
Switzerland
Bertrand Cluzet
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), 7260 Davos Dorf,
Switzerland
Tobias Jonas
WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), 7260 Davos Dorf,
Switzerland
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Cited
22 citations as recorded by crossref.
- A 20-Year Ecotone Study of Pacific Northwest Mountain Forest Vulnerability to Changing Snow Conditions T. Lookingbill et al. 10.3390/land13040424
- Retrieving snow depth distribution by downscaling ERA5 Reanalysis with ICESat-2 laser altimetry Z. Liu et al. 10.1016/j.coldregions.2025.104580
- Wintertime forest surface temperature dynamics in boreal and sub-alpine forests V. Haagmans et al. 10.1016/j.agrformet.2025.110703
- How does a warm and low-snow winter impact the snow cover dynamics in a humid and discontinuous boreal forest? Insights from observations and modeling in eastern Canada B. Bouchard et al. 10.5194/hess-28-2745-2024
- Variability and drivers of winter near-surface temperatures over boreal and tundra landscapes V. Tyystjärvi et al. 10.5194/tc-18-403-2024
- Forest Patch Geometry and Climate Regulate the Impact of Forest Thinning on Snowpack in the Southwest United States P. Broxton et al. 10.1002/eco.70111
- Significant Topographic Impacts on Moderate-Resolution Satellite Products: Evidence From Both Geostationary and Polar-Orbiting Satellites and Model Simulations Y. Ma et al. 10.1109/TGRS.2025.3572685
- Exploring the potential of forest snow modeling at the tree and snowpack layer scale G. Mazzotti et al. 10.5194/tc-18-4607-2024
- Characterizing the spatial distribution of field-scale snowpack using unpiloted aerial system (UAS) lidar and structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry E. Cho et al. 10.5194/hess-29-4539-2025
- Influence of forest canopy structure and wind flow on patterns of sub‐canopy snow accumulation in montane needleleaf forests J. Staines & J. Pomeroy 10.1002/hyp.15005
- A Flexible Snow Model (FSM 2.1.1) including a forest canopy R. Essery et al. 10.5194/gmd-18-3583-2025
- The prediction of uneven snowpack response to forest thinning informs forest restoration in the central Sierra Nevada G. Lewis et al. 10.1002/eco.2580
- Snow refugia: Managing temperate forest canopies to maintain winter conditions M. Pastore et al. 10.1002/ecs2.70302
- Operational snow-hydrological modeling for Switzerland R. Mott et al. 10.3389/feart.2023.1228158
- Aspect controls on the spatial redistribution of snow water equivalence through the lateral flow of liquid water in a subalpine catchment K. Mooney & R. Webb 10.5194/tc-19-2507-2025
- UAV LiDAR surveys and machine learning improve snow depth and water equivalent estimates in boreal landscapes M. Ylönen et al. 10.5194/tc-19-4585-2025
- High-resolution hydrometeorological and snow data for the Dischma catchment in Switzerland J. Magnusson et al. 10.5194/essd-17-703-2025
- How does the climate change effect on hydropower potential, freshwater fisheries, and hydrological response of snow on water availability? S. Soomro et al. 10.1007/s13201-023-02070-6
- Reconstructing MODIS normalized difference snow index product on Greenland ice sheet using spatiotemporal extreme gradient boosting model F. Ye et al. 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132277
- Forest gap effects on snow storage in the transitional climate of the Eastern Cascade Range, Washington, United States S. Dickerson-Lange et al. 10.3389/frwa.2023.1115264
- Combining Daily Sensor Observations and Spatial LiDAR Data for Mapping Snow Water Equivalent in a Sub‐Alpine Forest J. Geissler et al. 10.1029/2023WR034460
- Forest Snow Patterns Derived Using ClustSnow Are Temporally Persistent Under Variable Environmental Conditions J. Geissler et al. 10.1029/2024WR038442
19 citations as recorded by crossref.
- A 20-Year Ecotone Study of Pacific Northwest Mountain Forest Vulnerability to Changing Snow Conditions T. Lookingbill et al. 10.3390/land13040424
- Retrieving snow depth distribution by downscaling ERA5 Reanalysis with ICESat-2 laser altimetry Z. Liu et al. 10.1016/j.coldregions.2025.104580
- Wintertime forest surface temperature dynamics in boreal and sub-alpine forests V. Haagmans et al. 10.1016/j.agrformet.2025.110703
- How does a warm and low-snow winter impact the snow cover dynamics in a humid and discontinuous boreal forest? Insights from observations and modeling in eastern Canada B. Bouchard et al. 10.5194/hess-28-2745-2024
- Variability and drivers of winter near-surface temperatures over boreal and tundra landscapes V. Tyystjärvi et al. 10.5194/tc-18-403-2024
- Forest Patch Geometry and Climate Regulate the Impact of Forest Thinning on Snowpack in the Southwest United States P. Broxton et al. 10.1002/eco.70111
- Significant Topographic Impacts on Moderate-Resolution Satellite Products: Evidence From Both Geostationary and Polar-Orbiting Satellites and Model Simulations Y. Ma et al. 10.1109/TGRS.2025.3572685
- Exploring the potential of forest snow modeling at the tree and snowpack layer scale G. Mazzotti et al. 10.5194/tc-18-4607-2024
- Characterizing the spatial distribution of field-scale snowpack using unpiloted aerial system (UAS) lidar and structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry E. Cho et al. 10.5194/hess-29-4539-2025
- Influence of forest canopy structure and wind flow on patterns of sub‐canopy snow accumulation in montane needleleaf forests J. Staines & J. Pomeroy 10.1002/hyp.15005
- A Flexible Snow Model (FSM 2.1.1) including a forest canopy R. Essery et al. 10.5194/gmd-18-3583-2025
- The prediction of uneven snowpack response to forest thinning informs forest restoration in the central Sierra Nevada G. Lewis et al. 10.1002/eco.2580
- Snow refugia: Managing temperate forest canopies to maintain winter conditions M. Pastore et al. 10.1002/ecs2.70302
- Operational snow-hydrological modeling for Switzerland R. Mott et al. 10.3389/feart.2023.1228158
- Aspect controls on the spatial redistribution of snow water equivalence through the lateral flow of liquid water in a subalpine catchment K. Mooney & R. Webb 10.5194/tc-19-2507-2025
- UAV LiDAR surveys and machine learning improve snow depth and water equivalent estimates in boreal landscapes M. Ylönen et al. 10.5194/tc-19-4585-2025
- High-resolution hydrometeorological and snow data for the Dischma catchment in Switzerland J. Magnusson et al. 10.5194/essd-17-703-2025
- How does the climate change effect on hydropower potential, freshwater fisheries, and hydrological response of snow on water availability? S. Soomro et al. 10.1007/s13201-023-02070-6
- Reconstructing MODIS normalized difference snow index product on Greenland ice sheet using spatiotemporal extreme gradient boosting model F. Ye et al. 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.132277
3 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Forest gap effects on snow storage in the transitional climate of the Eastern Cascade Range, Washington, United States S. Dickerson-Lange et al. 10.3389/frwa.2023.1115264
- Combining Daily Sensor Observations and Spatial LiDAR Data for Mapping Snow Water Equivalent in a Sub‐Alpine Forest J. Geissler et al. 10.1029/2023WR034460
- Forest Snow Patterns Derived Using ClustSnow Are Temporally Persistent Under Variable Environmental Conditions J. Geissler et al. 10.1029/2024WR038442
Latest update: 30 Oct 2025
Short summary
This study analyses snow cover evolution in mountainous forested terrain based on 2 m resolution simulations from a process-based model. We show that snow accumulation patterns are controlled by canopy structure, but topographic shading modulates the timing of melt onset, and variability in weather can cause snow accumulation and melt patterns to vary between years. These findings advance our ability to predict how snow regimes will react to rising temperatures and forest disturbances.
This study analyses snow cover evolution in mountainous forested terrain based on 2 m resolution...
