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Assessing rain-on-snow event dynamics over Alaska using 30 year satellite microwave observations
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Assessing rain-on-snow event dynamics over Alaska using 30 year satellite microwave observations
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Assessing rain-on-snow event dynamics over Alaska using 30 year satellite microwave observations
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Journal Article
Assessing rain-on-snow event dynamics over Alaska using 30 year satellite microwave observations
2025
Overview
Rain-on-snow (ROS) events are characterized by liquid precipitation or condensation onto snow surfaces that can lead to snowmelt and the formation of ice layers. ROS events can directly alter the physical structure and thermal properties of the snowpack, leading to rapid melting and runoff-induced flooding, reduced snow insulation, and permafrost degradation. However, tracking ROS events and regional trends remain uncertain due to limited ground measurements and lack of long-term satellite ROS observations representing vast and remote boreal-Arctic landscapes. We quantified ROS dynamics over Alaska by developing a daily 6 km resolution ROS record using an established gradient ratio polarization approach and 30 year (1988–2017) satellite observations from the Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Image Sounder (SSMI/S) sensors. The data record captured well-documented ROS events and showed high consistency (R 0.94) with alternative ROS predictions from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-EOS/2 sensors. Analysis showed an overall increasing ROS frequency with significant trends mainly identified during early winter. Notable rises in ROS frequency were also detected in mid-to-high elevation ranges (>400 m above sea level (ASL)), while this increase diminished at higher elevations (>1000 m ASL). Our analysis further confirmed that the warming climate plays a fundamental role in driving these ROS events, with significantly positive correlations between ROS frequency and air temperature. However, the significant correlations did not extend to the Eastern and Western Gulf climate zones of southern Alaska, where the ROS retrievals were likely affected by coastal ocean contamination of SSMI/S observations.
