A new blow to the climate... and the scarcity of snow this winter!

Arabia Weather - Despite the impact of snow storms in Europe in recent days, the scarcity of snow represents a serious threat to water supplies for hundreds of millions of people in the northern regions of the Earth, as a result of the impact of climate warming, according to a warning published in the journal “Nature”.

This effect is expected to accelerate, noted researchers from the University of Dartmouth, who compared climate models and data recorded over four decades, using information about observed precipitation and snow coverage in March, when melting begins.

The results of the study showed that 80% of the snow area in the Northern Hemisphere is located in extremely cold areas, where the average temperature in winter is less than minus eight degrees Celsius, and where snow cover is not greatly affected by climate change.

On the other hand, the remaining 20% are located in areas where the average temperature exceeds minus eight degrees, which is the limit that leads to an increase in snow losses as temperatures rise. Information provided by study participants indicates that four out of every five residents in the Northern Hemisphere are located in areas that depend to some extent on this snow cover.

It has been noted by researchers that regions of the southwestern and northeastern United States, as well as regions of central and eastern Europe, have seen snow cover decline by 10 to 20 percent in each decade since the 1980s.

The lack of snow reduces the amount of water available in the spring due to precipitation and melting, resulting in less water supply to rivers, lakes and soils.

The Upper Mississippi River basins in the United States and the Danube River basins in Europe, respectively home to 84 million and 92 million people, have seen a 30 and 40 percent reduction in available water sources due to this shortage.

The study's lead researcher, student Dr. Alexander Gottlieb from Dartmouth University, predicted that these areas will be almost completely without snow by the end of the 21st century, increasing their negative impact on water resources.

Rising temperatures also cause snowfall to turn into rain, causing rapid water flow and flooding, rather than storing water on the mountains until spring and summer, when water demand is greatest.

The negative effects of the lack of snow go beyond the lack of water resources, as it also negatively affects the tourism sector and ski resorts. In addition, snow turning into rain can affect ecosystems, promoting the spread of parasites and making forests more vulnerable to drought-induced fires in the thawing seasons.

Source: skynewsarabia