Snowpack indicator 5.4.2019

Key message Early accumulation of snowpack can decrease runoff and ground water recharge during the winter months Lack on snowmelt can increase possibilities for drought during the spring and early summer E.g. In Finland snowpack accumulation is from 10 to 30 % of yearly precipitation The warming climate is predicted to increase variation in the snowpack 5.4.2019

Relevance of the indicator Snowpack is an essential part of water cycle in the northern parts of Europe and in the mountains Snowpack is an indicator of drought risk (not sufficient by itself) Snowpack can be used to predict the drought risk during the coming spring and summer Human abstraction plays no role in the snowpack indicator 5.4.2019

The indicator Daily snowpack water equivalent (wq) in mm in water (=kg/m2) in the catchment modelled, LTA, LTMI, LTMA, LTAMA (the average maximum annual snowpack) Frequency of data collection Static: Annual - data are collected for the previous winter season in e.g. August Dynamic: Values of the snowpack wq are provided on a daily bases. This will make it possible to forecast droughts and develop early warning systems. 5.4.2019

Snowpack water equivalent (mm) and snow depth (cm) Lisää viraston nimi, tekijän nimi ja osasto 5.4.2019

GlobSnow: Snow water equivalent for whole Europe www.globsnow.info 1.1.2011 Near real time snow mapping through satellites available from October 2010 Used in Finland together with snowline measurements and modelling Also long term datasets (15-30 years) available 5.4.2019

= the average maximum annual snowpack snowpack started to accumulate in December approx. one month later than average in the years 1990-2010 the accumulation was fast and the snowpack exceeded long term average of maximum annual snowpack before the end of February the maximum value of snowpack was over 150 % of the LTAMA the snowpack was completely melted approx. at the average melting date in the middle of April