The future of mountain snowpack is a major concern to industries and communities that rely upon this resource. However, snowpack varies from year to year. Much has been made of mountain snowpack decline in recent decades, but is this a long-term trend? When will it end? Well, this decline is dependent on when one starts measuring the decline. Current snowpack levels are in many states equivalent to pre-1950 snowpack levels. The decline is since the late 1950's.
For future snowpack projections, one can turn to global climate models. However, these are notoriously inaccurate at simulating precipitation, particularly in mountainous terrain. This is well known in the climate modeling community and is why temperature changes are often utilized from the climate models rather than precipitation changes.
Enter CCC. We have developed unique methods to determine snowpack trends independent of snowpack measurements or precipitation simulated by climate models. We can document potential trends in long-term snowpack change and also project snowpack change into the future. We can tell you what you want to know about future snowpack health.
Our services will aid in adapting your industry to future snowpack change and mitigate loss and risk. We can provide information on how you must change to remain viable on the decade to longer timescale. Our expert knowledge of long-term snowpack change also allows us to provide insight into where new developments (e.g., ski runs, snowmaking) should be sited to optimize snowpack survival. Lastly, we can help estimate the potential for bad snow winters as the baseline snowpack changes. If you want to know the future of snow in your mountain region, Carlson Climate Consulting is your answer.
