Snow measurements at the K€ uhtai station in Tirol, Austria, (1920 m.a.s.l.) are described. The data set includes snow water equivalent from a 10 m 2 snow pillow, snow melt outflow from a 10 m 2 snow lysimeter placed at the same location as the pillow, meteorological data (precipitation, incoming shortwave radiation, reflected shortwave radiation, air temperature, relative air humidity, and wind speed), and other data (snow depths, snow temperatures at seven heights) from the period October 1990 to May 2015. All data have been quality checked, and gaps in the meteorological data have been filled in. The data set is unique in that all data are available at a temporal resolution of 15 min over a period of 25 years with minimal changes in the experimental setup. The data set can therefore be used to analyze snow pack processes over a long-time period, including their extremes and long-term changes, in an Alpine climate. Analyses may benefit from the combined measurement of snow water equivalent, lysimeter outflow, and precipitation at a wind-sheltered alpine site. An example use of data shows the temporal variability of daily and 1 April snow water equivalent observed at the K€ uhtai site. The results indicate that the snow water equivalent maximum varies between 200 and more than 500 mm w.e., but there is no statistically significant temporal trend in the period 1990-2015. Plain Language Summary Snow measurements at the K€ uhtai station in Tirol, Austria, (1920 m a.s.l.) are described. The data set includes snow water equivalent from a 10 m 2 snow pillow, snow melt outflow from a 10 m 2 snow lysimeter placed at the same location as the pillow, meteorological data (precipitation, incoming short wave radiation, reflected short wave radiation, air temperature, relative air humidity and wind speed), and other data (snow depths, snow temperatures at seven heights) from the period October, 1990-May, 2015. All data have been quality checked, and gaps in the meteorological data have been filled in. The data set is unique in that all data are available at a temporal resolution of 15 minutes over a period of 25 years with minimal changes in the experimental setup.
Snow accumulation and melt are highly variable. Therefore, correct modeling of spatial variability of the snowmelt, timing and magnitude of catchment runoff still represents a challenge in mountain catchments for flood forecasting. The article presents the setup and results of detailed field measurements of snow related characteristics in a mountain microcatchment (area 59 000 m 2 , mean altitude 1509 m a. s. l.) in the Western Tatra Mountains, Slovakia obtained in winter 2015. Snow water equivalent (SWE) measurements at 27 points documented a very large spatial variability through the entire winter. For instance, range of the SWE values exceeded 500 mm at the end of the accumulation period (March 2015). Simple snow lysimeters indicated that variability of snowmelt and discharge measured at the catchment outlet corresponded well with the rise of air temperature above 0°C. Temperature measurements at soil surface were used to identify the snow cover duration at particular points. Snow melt duration was related to spatial distribution of snow cover and spatial patterns of snow radiation. Obtained data together with standard climatic data (precipitation and air temperature) were used to calibrate and validate the spatially distributed hydrological model MIKE-SHE. The spatial redistribution of input precipitation seems to be important for modeling even on such a small scale. Acceptable simulation of snow water equivalents and snow duration does not guarantee correct simulation of peakflow at shorttime (hourly) scale required for example in flood forecasting. Temporal variability of the stream discharge during the snowmelt period was simulated correctly, but the simulated discharge was overestimated.
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