Examining Spatiotemporal Variations in Snow Water Equivalent in Response to the El Nino Southern Oscillation and the Pacific Decal Oscillation in the Pacific Northwest
Research Mentor(s)
Flower, Aquila
Description
The El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) play significant roles in dictating weather patterns on a seasonal, annual, and decadal scale in the Pacific Northwest. As such, ENSO and PDO have significant influence on snowpack development in the Cascade Range of Washington. While the standalone effects of ENSO and PDO on Pacific Northwest weather patterns are relatively well established, the combined effects and interplay of the two are less well understood. To better understand the effects of ENSO and PDO on snowpack development in the Washington Cascades, I used analysis of variance testing and regression analysis to analyze the significance and spatial variation of SWE values across multiple stations in the Washington Cascades over multiple decades. The analysis reveals interesting spatial and temporal patterns in SWE values in response to ENSO and PDO phases over the past six decades. Statistically significant differences between SWE values for multiple phase combinations were discovered upon completion of analysis. Results also indicated that while snowpack development is strongly influenced by ENSO and PDO phase, there are more variables at play in determining spatiotemporal variations in snowpack development and SWE. As winter snowpack development is crucial for drought mitigation and water resource management practices, a better understanding of snowpack development dynamics in response to large scale climatic oscillations and local climatic conditions may provide for more accurate predictions of snowpack size and extent in the future.
Document Type
Event
Start Date
18-5-2017 12:00 PM
End Date
18-5-2017 3:00 PM
Department
Environmental Studies
Genre/Form
student projects; posters
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
El Niño Current; Ocean-atmosphere interaction; Southern oscillation; Climatic changes
Geographic Coverage
Northwest, Pacific
Type
Image
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this documentation for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Examining Spatiotemporal Variations in Snow Water Equivalent in Response to the El Nino Southern Oscillation and the Pacific Decal Oscillation in the Pacific Northwest
The El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) play significant roles in dictating weather patterns on a seasonal, annual, and decadal scale in the Pacific Northwest. As such, ENSO and PDO have significant influence on snowpack development in the Cascade Range of Washington. While the standalone effects of ENSO and PDO on Pacific Northwest weather patterns are relatively well established, the combined effects and interplay of the two are less well understood. To better understand the effects of ENSO and PDO on snowpack development in the Washington Cascades, I used analysis of variance testing and regression analysis to analyze the significance and spatial variation of SWE values across multiple stations in the Washington Cascades over multiple decades. The analysis reveals interesting spatial and temporal patterns in SWE values in response to ENSO and PDO phases over the past six decades. Statistically significant differences between SWE values for multiple phase combinations were discovered upon completion of analysis. Results also indicated that while snowpack development is strongly influenced by ENSO and PDO phase, there are more variables at play in determining spatiotemporal variations in snowpack development and SWE. As winter snowpack development is crucial for drought mitigation and water resource management practices, a better understanding of snowpack development dynamics in response to large scale climatic oscillations and local climatic conditions may provide for more accurate predictions of snowpack size and extent in the future.