POLAR SNOW COVER CHANGES AND GLOBAL WARMING

Many general circulation models suggest that current precipitation amounts in polar latitudes will increase under double CO2 scenarios. Even though temperatures in such high‐latitude regions should also increase under a doubling of CO2, as long as those temperatures remain below freezing, the increa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of climatology 1997-02, Vol.17 (2), p.155-162
Main Authors: YE, HENGCHUN, MATHER, JOHN R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Climatology. Bioclimatology. Climate change
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
External geophysics
general circulation models
global climate change
Meteorology
snow cover
Snow. Ice. Glaciers
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Summary:Many general circulation models suggest that current precipitation amounts in polar latitudes will increase under double CO2 scenarios. Even though temperatures in such high‐latitude regions should also increase under a doubling of CO2, as long as those temperatures remain below freezing, the increased precipitation should accumulate as snow. A study of both current and double CO2 temperature and precipitation data for all land areas poleward of 60° latitude using three different general circulation models suggests possible changes in snow accumulation due to increasing CO2. Increased snow accumulation will occur in the Antarctic whereas a small decrease in snow depth is to be expected in the Northern Hemisphere. Total snow accumulation for all land areas poleward of latitude 60° is found to increase under a double CO2 scenario. © 1997 by the Royal Meteorological Society.
ISSN:0899-8418
1097-0088
DOI:10.1002/(SICI)1097-0088(199702)17:2<155::AID-JOC111>3.0.CO;2-6