Articles | Volume 11, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2847-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2847-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
11 Dec 2017
Research article |
| 11 Dec 2017
| 11 Dec 2017
Snowmelt response to simulated warming across a large elevation gradient, southern Sierra Nevada, California
Keith N. Musselman
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
now at: Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of
Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
Noah P. Molotch
Department of Geography, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research,
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
Steven A. Margulis
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of
California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Cited
31 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The sensitivity of modeled snow accumulation and melt to precipitation phase methods across a climatic gradient K. Jennings & N. Molotch 10.5194/hess-23-3765-2019
- Capturing Snowmelt Runoff Onset Date under Different Land Cover Types Using Synthetic Aperture Radar: Case Study of Sierra Nevada Mountains, USA B. Gao & W. Ma 10.3390/app14156844
- Spatial Variability in Seasonal Snowpack Trends across the Rio Grande Headwaters (1984–2017) G. Sexstone et al. 10.1175/JHM-D-20-0077.1
- Future changes in snowpack will impact seasonal runoff and low flows in Czechia M. Jenicek et al. 10.1016/j.ejrh.2021.100899
- Combining Ground‐Penetrating Radar With Terrestrial LiDAR Scanning to Estimate the Spatial Distribution of Liquid Water Content in Seasonal Snowpacks R. Webb et al. 10.1029/2018WR022680
- Climate change risk and adaptation costs for stormwater management in California coastal parklands E. Porse et al. 10.1080/23789689.2021.1996811
- The sensitivity and evolutionary trajectory of the mountain cryosphere: Implications for mountain geomorphic systems and hazards J. Knight & S. Harrison 10.1002/ldr.4630
- Snow sensitivity to temperature and precipitation change during compound cold–hot and wet–dry seasons in the Pyrenees J. Bonsoms et al. 10.5194/tc-17-1307-2023
- Projected increases and shifts in rain-on-snow flood risk over western North America K. Musselman et al. 10.1038/s41558-018-0236-4
- High Resolution SnowModel Simulations Reveal Future Elevation‐Dependent Snow Loss and Earlier, Flashier Surface Water Input for the Upper Colorado River Basin J. Hammond et al. 10.1029/2022EF003092
- Soil water components control plant water uptake along a subalpine elevation gradient on the Eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau J. Sun et al. 10.1016/j.agrformet.2023.109827
- The role of liquid water percolation representation in estimating snow water equivalent in a Mediterranean mountain region (Mount Lebanon) A. Fayad & S. Gascoin 10.5194/hess-24-1527-2020
- Uneven winter snow influence on tree growth across temperate China X. Wu et al. 10.1111/gcb.14464
- Rain-on-snow responses to warmer Pyrenees: a sensitivity analysis using a physically based snow hydrological model J. Bonsoms et al. 10.5194/nhess-24-245-2024
- Groundwater‐Mediated Memory of Past Climate Controls Water Yield in Snowmelt‐Dominated Catchments P. Brooks et al. 10.1029/2021WR030605
- Extending the vadose zone: Characterizing the role of snow for liquid water storage and transmission in streamflow generation R. Webb et al. 10.1002/hyp.14541
- The last glaciers in Africa and their environmental implications J. Knight 10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2023.104863
- The Role of Rain‐on‐Snow in Flooding Over the Conterminous United States D. Li et al. 10.1029/2019WR024950
- Divergent responses of historic rain-on-snow flood extremes to a warmer climate D. Hao et al. 10.1038/s43247-025-02354-6
- Extreme Runoff Generation From Atmospheric River Driven Snowmelt During the 2017 Oroville Dam Spillways Incident B. Henn et al. 10.1029/2020GL088189
- Winter melt trends portend widespread declines in snow water resources K. Musselman et al. 10.1038/s41558-021-01014-9
- An analytical solution for rapidly predicting post‐fire peak streamflow for small watersheds in southern California B. Wilder et al. 10.1002/hyp.13976
- Multi‐Year Controls on Groundwater Storage in Seasonally Snow‐Covered Headwater Catchments M. Wolf et al. 10.1029/2022WR033394
- Warming leads to both earlier and later snowmelt floods over the past 70 years Y. Guo et al. 10.1038/s41467-025-58832-0
- A mechanism for regional variations in snowpack melt under rising temperature A. Evan & I. Eisenman 10.1038/s41558-021-00996-w
- Hydrologic connectivity at the hillslope scale through intra‐snowpack flow paths during snowmelt R. Webb et al. 10.1002/hyp.13686
- Regional trends in snowmelt timing for the western United States throughout the MODIS era D. O’Leary et al. 10.1080/02723646.2020.1854418
- Effects of experimental multi-season drought on abundance, richness, and beta diversity patterns in perennially flowing stream insect communities P. Saffarinia et al. 10.1007/s10750-021-04735-2
- Projecting end-of-century climate extremes and their impacts on the hydrology of a representative California watershed F. Maina et al. 10.5194/hess-26-3589-2022
- Quantifying the early snowmelt event of 2015 in the Cascade Mountains, USA by developing and validating MODIS-based snowmelt timing maps D. O’Leary et al. 10.1007/s11707-018-0719-7
- Snowfall Fraction, Cold Content, and Energy Balance Changes Drive Differential Response to Simulated Warming in an Alpine and Subalpine Snowpack K. Jennings & N. Molotch 10.3389/feart.2020.00186
30 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The sensitivity of modeled snow accumulation and melt to precipitation phase methods across a climatic gradient K. Jennings & N. Molotch 10.5194/hess-23-3765-2019
- Capturing Snowmelt Runoff Onset Date under Different Land Cover Types Using Synthetic Aperture Radar: Case Study of Sierra Nevada Mountains, USA B. Gao & W. Ma 10.3390/app14156844
- Spatial Variability in Seasonal Snowpack Trends across the Rio Grande Headwaters (1984–2017) G. Sexstone et al. 10.1175/JHM-D-20-0077.1
- Future changes in snowpack will impact seasonal runoff and low flows in Czechia M. Jenicek et al. 10.1016/j.ejrh.2021.100899
- Combining Ground‐Penetrating Radar With Terrestrial LiDAR Scanning to Estimate the Spatial Distribution of Liquid Water Content in Seasonal Snowpacks R. Webb et al. 10.1029/2018WR022680
- Climate change risk and adaptation costs for stormwater management in California coastal parklands E. Porse et al. 10.1080/23789689.2021.1996811
- The sensitivity and evolutionary trajectory of the mountain cryosphere: Implications for mountain geomorphic systems and hazards J. Knight & S. Harrison 10.1002/ldr.4630
- Snow sensitivity to temperature and precipitation change during compound cold–hot and wet–dry seasons in the Pyrenees J. Bonsoms et al. 10.5194/tc-17-1307-2023
- Projected increases and shifts in rain-on-snow flood risk over western North America K. Musselman et al. 10.1038/s41558-018-0236-4
- High Resolution SnowModel Simulations Reveal Future Elevation‐Dependent Snow Loss and Earlier, Flashier Surface Water Input for the Upper Colorado River Basin J. Hammond et al. 10.1029/2022EF003092
- Soil water components control plant water uptake along a subalpine elevation gradient on the Eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau J. Sun et al. 10.1016/j.agrformet.2023.109827
- The role of liquid water percolation representation in estimating snow water equivalent in a Mediterranean mountain region (Mount Lebanon) A. Fayad & S. Gascoin 10.5194/hess-24-1527-2020
- Uneven winter snow influence on tree growth across temperate China X. Wu et al. 10.1111/gcb.14464
- Rain-on-snow responses to warmer Pyrenees: a sensitivity analysis using a physically based snow hydrological model J. Bonsoms et al. 10.5194/nhess-24-245-2024
- Groundwater‐Mediated Memory of Past Climate Controls Water Yield in Snowmelt‐Dominated Catchments P. Brooks et al. 10.1029/2021WR030605
- Extending the vadose zone: Characterizing the role of snow for liquid water storage and transmission in streamflow generation R. Webb et al. 10.1002/hyp.14541
- The last glaciers in Africa and their environmental implications J. Knight 10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2023.104863
- The Role of Rain‐on‐Snow in Flooding Over the Conterminous United States D. Li et al. 10.1029/2019WR024950
- Divergent responses of historic rain-on-snow flood extremes to a warmer climate D. Hao et al. 10.1038/s43247-025-02354-6
- Extreme Runoff Generation From Atmospheric River Driven Snowmelt During the 2017 Oroville Dam Spillways Incident B. Henn et al. 10.1029/2020GL088189
- Winter melt trends portend widespread declines in snow water resources K. Musselman et al. 10.1038/s41558-021-01014-9
- An analytical solution for rapidly predicting post‐fire peak streamflow for small watersheds in southern California B. Wilder et al. 10.1002/hyp.13976
- Multi‐Year Controls on Groundwater Storage in Seasonally Snow‐Covered Headwater Catchments M. Wolf et al. 10.1029/2022WR033394
- Warming leads to both earlier and later snowmelt floods over the past 70 years Y. Guo et al. 10.1038/s41467-025-58832-0
- A mechanism for regional variations in snowpack melt under rising temperature A. Evan & I. Eisenman 10.1038/s41558-021-00996-w
- Hydrologic connectivity at the hillslope scale through intra‐snowpack flow paths during snowmelt R. Webb et al. 10.1002/hyp.13686
- Regional trends in snowmelt timing for the western United States throughout the MODIS era D. O’Leary et al. 10.1080/02723646.2020.1854418
- Effects of experimental multi-season drought on abundance, richness, and beta diversity patterns in perennially flowing stream insect communities P. Saffarinia et al. 10.1007/s10750-021-04735-2
- Projecting end-of-century climate extremes and their impacts on the hydrology of a representative California watershed F. Maina et al. 10.5194/hess-26-3589-2022
- Quantifying the early snowmelt event of 2015 in the Cascade Mountains, USA by developing and validating MODIS-based snowmelt timing maps D. O’Leary et al. 10.1007/s11707-018-0719-7
Latest update: 19 Jul 2025
Short summary
We present a study of how melt rates in the California Sierra Nevada respond to a range of warming projected for this century. Snowfall and melt were simulated for historical and modified (warmer) snow seasons. Winter melt occurs more frequently and more intensely, causing an increase in extreme winter melt. In a warmer climate, less snow persists into the spring, causing spring melt to be substantially lower. The results offer insight into how snow water resources may respond to climate change.
We present a study of how melt rates in the California Sierra Nevada respond to a range of...
