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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Boise, Idaho » Northwest Watershed Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #100169
Title: DEVELOPING TIME-SERIES CLIMATE SURFACES TO DRIVE TOPOGRAPHICALLY DISTRIBUTED ENERGY-AND WATER-BALANCE MODELS

Author
item SUSONG, DAVE - USGS
item Marks, Daniel
item LINK, TIM - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item GAREN, DAVID - NRCS

Submitted to: Western Snow Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/20/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Topographically distributed energy-and water-balance models can accurately simulate both the development and melting of a seasonal snowcover in mountain basins. The models require time-series climate surfaces of air temperature, humidity, wind, precipitation, and solar and thermal radiation. If data are available, these parameters can be adequately estimated at time steps of 1 to 3 hours. Unfortunately, climate monitoring in mountain basins is very limited, and the full range of elevations and exposures that affect climate conditions, snow deposition, and snowmelt is seldom sampled. However, detailed time-series climate surfaces have been successfully developed using limited data and relatively simple methods. A synopsis of the tools and methods used to combine limited data with simple is presented.