The changing roles of temperature and precipitation on snowpack variability in Switzerland as a function of altitude

Abstract

In this study, we assess the role of altitude in determining the relative performance of temperature and precipitation as predictors of snowpack variability in Switzerland. The results indicate a linear relationship between altitude and the correlation of temperature (precipitation) with snowpack depth and duration. We identify a threshold altitude of approximately 1400 m a.s.l. (± 200 m, depending on the snow index considered), below which temperature is the main explanatory variable and above which precipitation is a better predictor of snowpack variability. The results also highlight that as climate warms, the altitude at which temperature is the main constraint on snow accumulation increases. This has important implications for the future viability of snow-dependent economic sectors in Switzerland, where projections indicate a continuous warming during the course of the 21st century. ©2013. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.