"Much of the mountain West has experienced declines in spring snowpack, especially since mid-century, and despite increases in winter precipitation in many places. Analysis and modeling shows that climatic trends are the dominant factor, not changes in land use, forest canopy, or other factors. The largest decreases have occurred where winter temperatures are mild, especially in the Cascade mountains and Northern California. In most mountain ranges, relative declines grow from minimal at ridgetop to substantial at snowline. Taken altogether, these results emphasize that the West's snow resources are already declining as Earth's climate warms."
Philip Mote, et al., "Declining Mountain Snowpack in Western North America," Bulletin of American Meteorological Society (2005) |
