When: 15th May 2024 - 11:00AM - 12:00PM MDT (05:00PM - 06:00 GMT)
Where: online event
In recent years, rain on snow (ROS) events have become a prevalent issue in the Arctic region. These weather events impact the wellbeing of humans and wildlife alike. This study seeks to understand the synoptic patterns conducive for ROS events and to study the variability in ROS events in Alaska. Analysis was conducted using a self-organizing map (SOM) displaying a gridded array of anomalous synoptic states comprising 40 years of daily mean sea level pressure for Alaska. Temperature (925 mb and 2 m) and total column water vapor (TCWV) were used to assess the meteorological variability for ROS events. Case studies from stations in southern Alaska were selected from the National Snow and Ice Data Center’s (NSIDC) ROS database for analysis. The atmospheric state was evaluated for ROS events and the conditions governing them. It is found that despite general similarities for ROS events in southern Alaska, there is considerable variability in atmospheric conditions for ROS events to occur. This can make it difficult to accurately predict how ROS events may change over time with a warming climate.
LIVESTREAM VIA ZOOM:
https://cuboulder.zoom.us/j/96688148355
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Telephone:
US: +1 719 359 4580
Meeting ID: 966 8814 8355
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/MNl8z
Taylor O'Brien is currently a graduate research assistant in the Geography Department at the University of Colorado Boulder. She has been completing thesis research at NSIDC with her advisor, Dr. Mark Serreze. Taylor's passion for understanding the impacts of a changing climate began during her undergraduate studies at UNC Chapel Hill and her love for snow and ice was sparked. Her research interests include rain-on-snow, natural hazards, and Arctic amplification.