Localized Detection of Frozen Precipitation Events and the Rain/Snow Transition

Abstract:

Frozen precipitation in the mid-latitudes and semi-arid environments frequently serves a crucial role in the annual water budget. Often occurring along elevational gradients, the rain/snow transition (or, “snow line”) in mountain systems determines the amount of water which enters the system slowly during melt phases as opposed to rain which immediately infiltrates or runs off to lower elevations. This in turn influences the location and composition of ecological communities such as conifer forests, as well as timing and nature of the entire mountain block annual hydrologic cycle. Characterization of the rain/snow transition is becoming a priority in mountainous semi-arid regions, as increasing human populations and repeated drought episodes combine to create water shortages. Atmospheric conditions (temperature and relative humidity) which signal the rain/snow transition have been described, but variability within the conditions window can create error in estimating true areal cover of frozen versus liquid precipitation. In populated, flood-prone regions, radar installations specifically tuned to the detection of the “bright band” transition elevation can be deployed; however these cannot be permanently installed at remote, solar-power-dependent climate stations or with fine geographical scale. Characterization of current trends in rain/snow transition can be made using automated weather stations placed along the elevational gradient fielding sensors for high-frequency (e.g. 1-10 minute) measurement of air temperature, relative humidity, liquid precipitation, and precipitation mass. Visual validation of precipitation modes detected through automated means is performed using time-series records from digital cameras placed at each station. Refinements of geographically-explicit relationships of atmospheric conditions to precipitation mode can be made over time, as well as detection of seasonally-anomalous but eco-hydrologically-significant frozen precipitation events such as summertime hail storms.