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A recent study suggests that climate change is leading to a significant decrease in snowpack in the US, which may have severe consequences on water availability and negatively impact industries that rely on winter conditions.
The accumulation of snow, also known as snowpack, serves as a vital water source for various regional systems and supports snow-dependent industries such as skiing. Despite its well-documented decline in certain regions, scientists have had difficulty establishing a direct connection between this decrease and human-caused climate change.
A recent study conducted by Alexander Gottlieb and Justin Mankin has determined that human-caused climate change is highly likely to be contributing to a substantial decrease in snowpack levels in the northeastern and southwestern regions of the United States.
According to Mr. Gottlieb, they were able to accomplish this by examining multiple sets of data on the melting of snowpack, all of which contained varying levels of uncertainty. They then determined the areas where all of the datasets aligned.
“If all indicators align and consistently show a clear impact of human-caused climate change on snowbank patterns, then we can have greater assurance that our findings are a genuine signal and not simply a result of one particular data set,” stated Mr. Gottlieb.
Their research also raises concerns about a potentially disastrous issue: the destructive consequences of reduced snow cover throughout the nation.
Where is the most severe snowpack decline occurring?
Climate change has a greater effect on snow in the northeast and southwest regions of the US due to the slightly warmer average winter temperatures. This makes even small fluctuations in temperature significant enough to cause snow to melt.
According to Mr. Gottlieb, higher temperatures near the freezing point can greatly affect the sensitivity of snow. This is particularly true for river basins in the southwest and northeast regions of the US, where average winter temperatures fall within this temperature range.
According to Mr. Gottlieb, since these regions have already shown vulnerability to the current increase in temperature, it is likely that the loss of snow will only speed up as the planet continues to heat up.
The northeastern and southwestern regions of the US experienced the most significant decline in snowpack from 1981-2020.
What is the significance of snowpack depletion?
Reducing snow accumulation results in a decrease in melted snow flowing into the water system, leading to severe effects in regions that rely on snowmelt for their water resources.
In the southern region of the US, where there is a high level of snowpack melt, the melting snow is crucial for maintaining water infrastructure.
According to him, melted snow acts as a connection between the winter precipitation supply and the increasing demand for water during the warmer months.
The water supply of California heavily depends on melted snow, which is a crucial source of water for the state. However, with the ongoing rise in temperature and decrease in snow cover, the state could potentially experience a severe water shortage.
According to Mr. Gottlieb, the train has departed from the station towards areas in the Southwestern and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is projected that by the end of the 21st century, these regions will experience minimal snowfall by the end of March. However, we are not adequately prepared for potential water scarcity.
Although the northeast’s water system is not heavily reliant on snowmelt due to regular precipitation, this pattern could potentially impact certain local businesses such as skiing and forestry that depend on stable snow and freezing temperatures.
“There are entire economies that are sort of built around this expectation of having a stable snowpack but are going to be very disrupted by these continued declines,” Mr Gottlieb said.
The ski industry has suffered negative effects from climate change caused by human activities, not just in the US.
The research also showed a noticeable decrease in snow cover in the central and eastern parts of Europe, which has been concerning for industries that rely on winter activities. According to a previous report by The Independent, many ski runs and entire resorts in Europe had to shut down last year due to unusually warm temperatures in January.
The study’s authors also found that there has been a noteworthy decrease in snowpack in central and eastern Europe, which can be attributed to climate change caused by human activity.
The authors are Justin Mankin and Alexander Gottlieb from Dartmouth.
What actions do we take?
According to Mr. Gottlieb, one of the initial actions is for researchers and government officials to record and comprehend the real-life impacts of the climate emergency caused by human activities.
Mr. Gottlieb believes that we often underestimate the true expenses of climate change, not only in terms of snow but in general.
In 2023, the Earth experienced its hottest year on record, surpassing previous records by a significant amount. Taking action to address the human-caused climate crisis will not only benefit water systems in California and ski resorts in Europe, but also prevent the devastating impacts of extreme weather events that have already caused harm and even death for millions of people worldwide.
According to Mr. Gottlieb, it is crucial to have ongoing conversations about this subject and the overall impact of human-induced climate change in order to reduce its repercussions.
Mr. Gottlieb emphasized the importance of documenting the effects of specific changes, such as snowfall or other events, and accurately determining their impact and associated costs. This is crucial in bringing attention to the high expenses of not taking action against climate change.
The source is “The Independent” website.
