Multi-decadal analysis of past winter temperature, precipitation and snow cover data in the European Alps from reanalyses, climate models and observational datasets

Monteiro, Diego; Morin, Samuel

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3617-2023

Articles | Volume 17, issue 8

https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3617-2023

© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3617-2023

© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 17, issue 8

Research article

|

28 Aug 2023

Research article |

| 28 Aug 2023

Multi-decadal analysis of past winter temperature, precipitation and snow cover data in the European Alps from reanalyses, climate models and observational datasets

Diego Monteiro and Samuel Morin

Data sets

Alpine gridded monthly precipitation data since 1871 derived from in-situ observations Copernicus Climate Change Service, Climate Data Store https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.6a6d1bc3

MODIS/Terra CGF Snow Cover Daily L3 Global 500m SIN Grid D. K. Hall and G. A. Riggs https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MOD10A1F.061

ERA5 hourly data on single levels from 1940 to present H. Hersbach, B. Bell, P. Berrisford, G. Biavati, A. Horányi, J. Muñoz Sabater, J. Nicolas, C. Peubey, R. Radu, I. Rozum, D. Schepers, A. Simmons, C. Soci, D. Dee, and J.-N. Thépaut https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.adbb2d47

ERA5-Land hourly data from 1950 to present J. Muñoz Sabater https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.e2161bac

UERRA regional reanalysis for Europe on single levels from 1961 to 2019 Copernicus Climate Change Service, Climate Data Store https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.32b04ec5

Snow cover in the European Alps: Station observations of snow depth and depth of snowfall (v1.3) Michael Matiu, Alice Crespi, Giacomo Bertoldi, Carlo Maria Carmagnola, Christoph Marty, Samuel Morin, Wolfgang Schöner, Daniele Cat Berro, Gabriele Chiogna, Ludovica De Gregorio, Sven Kotlarski, Bruno Majone, Gernot Resch, Silvia Terzago, Mauro Valt, Walter Beozzo, Paola Cianfarra, Isabelle Gouttevin, Giorgia Marcolini, Claudia Notarnicola, Marcello Petitta, Simon Christian Scherrer, Ulrich Strasser, Michael Winkler, Marc Zebisch, Andrea Cicogna, Roberto Cremonini, Andrea Debernardi, Mattia Faletto, Mauro Gaddo, Lorenzo Giovannini, Luca Mercalli, Jean-Michel Soubeyroux, Andrea Sušnik, Alberto Trenti, Stefano Urbani, and Viktor Weilguni https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5109574

An Ensemble Version of the E-OBS Temperature and Precipitation Datasets (https://surfobs.climate.copernicus.eu/dataaccess/access_eobs_months.php) Richard C. Cornes, Gerard van der Schrier, Else J. M. van den Besselaar, and Philip D. Jones https://doi.org/10.1029/2017JD028200

Modelling Mediterranean heavy precipitation events at climate scale: an object-oriented evaluation of the CNRM-AROME convection-permitting regional climate model (https://esgf-node.ipsl.upmc.fr/projects/esgf-ipsl/) Cécile Caillaud, Samuel Somot, Antoinette Alias, Isabelle Bernard-Bouissières, Quentin Fumière, Olivier Laurantin, Yann Seity, and Véronique Ducrocq https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-020-05558-y

Modulation of radiative aerosols effects by atmospheric circulation over the Euro-Mediterranean region (https://esgf-node.ipsl.upmc.fr/projects/esgf-ipsl/) Pierre Nabat, Samuel Somot, Christophe Cassou, Marc Mallet, Martine Michou, Dominique Bouniol, Bertrand Decharme, Thomas Drugé, Romain Roehrig, and David Saint-Martin https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-8315-2020

Model code and software

Multi-decadal analysis of past winter temperature, precipitation and snow cover data in the European Alps from reanalyses, climate models and observational datasets Diego Monteiro and Samuel Morin https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8252180

Short summary

Beyond directly using in situ observations, often sparsely available in mountain regions, climate model simulations and so-called reanalyses are increasingly used for climate change impact studies. Here we evaluate such datasets in the European Alps from 1950 to 2020, with a focus on snow cover information and its main drivers: air temperature and precipitation. In terms of variability and trends, we identify several limitations and provide recommendations for future use of these datasets.