Articles | Volume 15, issue 8
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3813-2021
© Author(s) 2021. 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-15-3813-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
18 Aug 2021
Research article |
| 18 Aug 2021
| 18 Aug 2021
Synoptic control on snow avalanche activity in central Spitsbergen
Holt Hancock
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Arctic Geology, University Centre in Svalbard, 9171 Longyearbyen, Norway
Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, 0371 Oslo, Norway
Jordy Hendrikx
Snow and Avalanche Lab, Department of Earth Sciences, Montana State University, P.O. Box 173480, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
Markus Eckerstorfer
Regional Climate Lab., Climate Department, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, 5838 Bergen, Norway
Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, 5007 Bergen, Norway
Siiri Wickström
Department of Arctic Geophysics, University Centre in Svalbard, 9171 Longyearbyen, Norway
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Short summary
We investigate how snow avalanche activity in central Spitsbergen, Svalbard, is broadly controlled by atmospheric circulation. Avalanche activity in this region is generally associated with atmospheric circulation conducive to increased precipitation, wind speeds, and air temperatures near Svalbard during winter storms. Our results help place avalanche activity on Spitsbergen in the wider context of Arctic environmental change and provide a foundation for improved avalanche forecasting here.
We investigate how snow avalanche activity in central Spitsbergen, Svalbard, is broadly...
