CAREER: Historical and Projected Atmospheric and Energetic Forcings of Eastern United States Snow Ablation

About This Grant

The rapid melting of snow can be hazardous, resulting in flooding and the transportation of excessive nutrients and pollutants into waterways. The potential for snowmelt is dependent on the availability of snow and the occurrence of specific weather patterns that trigger melting. By assessing the weather patterns suitable for snowmelt, further insights can be gained into how and why rapid snowmelt occurs and what impacts can follow. Particularly in the eastern and central United States, the snowpack typically completely melts and re-accumulates multiple times per season, where the variable release of water from the snowpack can pose challenges to predicting and preparing for large and rapid events. Using historical archives of snow and meteorological data, this research aims to evaluate the physical characteristics of weather patterns that result in rapid snowmelt and assess how variations in weather conditions have contributed to variability in snowmelt in the recent past. The investigator will then assess future projections of snowmelt conditions and associated weather patterns using a suite of numerical models under multiple future scenarios. Through this project’s research and educational objectives, over 20 students per year will be actively involved in research efforts. An improved understanding of the processes leading to snowmelt, the role of atmospheric circulation on regional energy balances, and the projected variability of future snowmelt conditions will better inform water resource and risk managers of potential outcomes. Such information allows for appropriate infrastructure and hazard mitigation plans to be determined for impactful snowmelt events. Synergies between research and educational objectives will further allow for the creation and dissemination of a variety of Open Educational Resources for university students that will advance STEM education beyond the investigator’s institution and facilitate the testing of additional underexplored hypotheses by students. The investigator will transform existing coursework in hydroclimatology into a service-learning pedagogical framework, where students, the investigator, and external partners collaborate to engage in developing novel, community-responsive research. Additionally, the dissemination of research and educational outcomes by the investigator and student team will enhance the climate services available to the public within Kentucky and the broader United States. This project is jointly funded by the Atmosphere Cluster within the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS) and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.