Regional Dependency of Precipitation-Altitude Relationship in the Swiss Alps

Sevruk, Boris

doi:10.1007/978-94-015-8905-5_7

Cited by 77 publications

(91 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…For example Liston and Elder [72] use a seasonally variable linear gradient, where precipitation increases with altitude, according to work in the western US by Thornton et al [73]. Closer to the Pyrenees, in the Alps Lehning et al [74] have noted the problems of deriving a reliable precipitation gradient, either because of lack of measurements at high altitude [75,76], or because the difficulty of measuring solid precipitation at high elevation and with strong winds [77]. In fact, extensive work in the Swiss Alps reveals precipitation gradients ranging from −69 to +15 mm/km in summer or from −27 to +25 mm/km in winter [78].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis and Predictability of the Hydrological Response of Mountain Catchments to Heavy Rain on Snow Events: A Case Study in the Spanish Pyrenees

Corripio¹,

López‐Moreno

2017

Hydrology

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From 18 to 19 June 2013, the Ésera river in the Pyrenees, Northern Spain, caused widespread damage due to flooding as a result of torrential rains and sustained snowmelt. We estimate the contribution of snow melt to total discharge applying a snow energy balance to the catchment. Precipitation is derived from sparse local measurements and the WRF-ARW model over three nested domains, down to a grid cell size of 2 km. Temperature profiles, precipitation and precipitation gradient are well simulated, although with a possible displacement regarding the observations. Snowpack melting was correctly reproduced and verified in three instrumented sites, and according to satellite images. We found that the hydrological simulations agree well with measured discharge. Snowmelt represented 33% of total runoff during the main flood event and 23% at peak flow. The snow energy balance model indicates that most of the energy for snow melt during the day of maximum precipitation came from turbulent fluxes. This approach forecast correctly peak flow and discharge during normal conditions at least 24 h in advance and could give an early warning of the extreme event 2.5 days before.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis and Predictability of the Hydrological Response of Mountain Catchments to Heavy Rain on Snow Events: A Case Study in the Spanish Pyrenees

Corripio¹,

López‐Moreno

2017

Hydrology

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“…Lauscher, 1976;Rohrer et al, 1994;Basist et al, 1994;Sevruk, 1997;Wastl and Zängl, 2008). This strong variability is attributed to the highly complex interaction of the weather patterns with the local topography.…”

Section: T Grünewald Et Al: Elevation Dependency Of Snowmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This strong variability is attributed to the highly complex interaction of the weather patterns with the local topography. Sevruk (1997) assumes that "in a series of inner-alpine valleys following each other and having different orientation, slopes and altitude, the redistribution of precipitation by wind can be the dominant factor of its spatial distribution suppressing any other effects including the altitude". Other studies postulate an advective leeward shift of the local precipitation maximum, favoured by specific topographical and meteorological conditions (Carruthers and Choularton, 1983;Robichaud and Austin, 1988;Zängl, 2008;Zängl et al, 2008;Mott et al, 2014).…”

Section: T Grünewald Et Al: Elevation Dependency Of Snowmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elevation dependency of mountain snow depth

Bühler²,

2014

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Abstract. Elevation strongly affects quantity and distribution patterns of precipitation and snow. Positive elevation gradients were identified by many studies, usually based on data from sparse precipitation stations or snow depth measurements. We present a systematic evaluation of the elevationsnow depth relationship. We analyse areal snow depth data obtained by remote sensing for seven mountain sites near to the time of the maximum seasonal snow accumulation. Snow depths were averaged to 100 m elevation bands and then related to their respective elevation level. The assessment was performed at three scales: (i) the complete data sets (10 km scale), (ii) sub-catchments (km scale) and (iii) slope transects (100 m scale). We show that most elevation-snow depth curves at all scales are characterised through a single shape. Mean snow depths increase with elevation up to a certain level where they have a distinct peak followed by a decrease at the highest elevations. We explain this typical shape with a generally positive elevation gradient of snow fall that is modified by the interaction of snow cover and topography. These processes are preferential deposition of precipitation and redistribution of snow by wind, sloughing and avalanching. Furthermore, we show that the elevation level of the peak of mean snow depth correlates with the dominant elevation level of rocks (if present).

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“…To encompass all possibilities, a suite of 189 lapse rates was used to represent temperature lapse rates ranging from 0 • C/km to 10 • C/km, and precipitation lapse rates ranging from 0 mm/100 m to 80 mm/100 m (this range is similar to the range of published precipitation lapse rates across Europe, e.g. Sevruk, 1997). To be clear, we use only one lapse rate per experiment; we do not apply spatially varying lapse rates, though such application might be of interest in future work.…”

Section: Input Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstructing glacier-based climates of LGM Europe and Russia – Part 1: Numerical modelling and validation methods

2008

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Abstract. The mountain environments of mid-latitude Europe and Arctic Russia contain widespread evidence of LateQuaternary glaciers that have been attributed to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). This glacial-geological record has yet to be used to quantitatively reconstruct the LGM climate of these regions. Here we describe a simple glacier-climate model that can be used to derive regional temperature and precipitation information from a known glacier distribution. The model was tested against the present day distribution of glaciers in Europe. The model is capable of adequately predicting the spatial distribution, snowline and equilibrium line altitude climate of glaciers in the Alps, Scandinavia, Caucasus and Pyrenees Mountains. This verification demonstrated that the model can be used to investigate former climates such as the LGM. Reconstructions of LGM climates from proxy evidence are an important method of assessing retrospective general circulation model (GCM) simulations.LGM palaeoclimate reconstructions from glacial-geological evidence would be of particular benefit to investigations in Europe and Russia, where to date only fossil pollen data have been used to assess continental-scale GCM simulations.

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Regional Dependency of Precipitation-Altitude Relationship in the Swiss Alps

Cited by 77 publications

References 5 publications

Analysis and Predictability of the Hydrological Response of Mountain Catchments to Heavy Rain on Snow Events: A Case Study in the Spanish Pyrenees

Analysis and Predictability of the Hydrological Response of Mountain Catchments to Heavy Rain on Snow Events: A Case Study in the Spanish Pyrenees

Elevation dependency of mountain snow depth

Reconstructing glacier-based climates of LGM Europe and Russia – Part 1: Numerical modelling and validation methods

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