The Cryosphere
The Cryosphere
TC
Articles | Volume 17, issue 12
Articles | Volume 17, issue 12
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5007-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5007-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 17, issue 12
Research article
 | 
29 Nov 2023
Research article |  | 29 Nov 2023

Evaluation of snow cover properties in ERA5 and ERA5-Land with several satellite-based datasets in the Northern Hemisphere in spring 1982–2018

Kerttu Kouki, Kari Luojus, and Aku Riihelä

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5007-2023-supplement

Data sets

Bias-corrected SnowCCI Kari Luojus, Jouni Pulliainen, Matias Takala, Juha Lemmetyinen, and Mikko Moisander https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.911944

MERRA-2 tavgM_2d_slv_Nx: 2d,Monthly mean,Time-Averaged,Single-Level,Assimilation,Single-Level Diagnostics V5.12.4 (M2TMNXSLV) Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) https://doi.org/10.5067/AP1B0BA5PD2K

CLARA-A2 SAL Karl-Göran Karlsson, Kati Anttila, Jörg Trentmann, Martin Stengel, Jan FokkeMeirink, Abhay Devasthale, Timo Hanschmann, Steffen Kothe, EmmihennaJääskeläinen, Joseph Sedlar, Nikos Benas, Gerd-Jan van Zadelhoff, Cornelia Schlundt, Diana Stein, Stephan Finkensieper, Nina Håkansson, Rainer Hollmann, Petra Fuchs, and Martin Werscheck https://doi.org/10.5676/EUM_SAF_CM/CLARA_AVHRR/V002

MCD43D51 C. Schaaf and Z. Wang https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD43D51.061

Rutgers Northern Hemisphere 24 km Weekly Snow Cover Extent, September 1980 Onward, Version 1 D. A. Robinson and T. W. Estilow https://doi.org/10.7265/zzbm-2w05

ERA5 monthly averaged 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.f17050d7

ERA5-Land monthly averaged data from 1950 to present J. Muñoz Sabater https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.68d2bb30

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Short summary
We evaluated snow cover properties in state-of-the-art reanalyses (ERA5 and ERA5-Land) with satellite-based datasets. Both ERA5 and ERA5-Land overestimate snow mass, whereas albedo estimates are more consistent between the datasets. Snow cover extent (SCE) is accurately described in ERA5-Land, while ERA5 shows larger SCE than the satellite-based datasets. The trends in snow mass, SCE, and albedo are mostly negative in 1982–2018, and the negative trends become more apparent when spring advances.
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