Roof design in northern China changed over centuries in response to extreme snow events, new research suggests.
Snow
Posted inNews
Freshwater Mussel Shells May Retain Record of Alpine Snowpack
A new study explores a possible proxy for seasonal freshwater input that could elucidate changes in alpine snowpack as the planet warms.
Posted inFeatures
The Changing Climate’s Snowball Effect
Shrinking snowpack, thawing permafrost, and shifting precipitation patterns have widespread consequences. Can new technologies—and public policies—help communities adapt?
Posted inFeatures
How the Ski Industry Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love Climate Activism
A cultural shift is underway to transform outdoor buffs into stalwarts for climate action. Will it come soon enough to save their sport?
Posted inNews
SnowSchool Spans the States
The nonprofit, donation-fueled program engages K–12 students by combining the fun of playing in snow with the science of the cryosphere.
Posted inNews
Testing on the Tundra: NASA Snow Program Heads North
With infrastructure, experience, and a slice of the world’s largest snow biomes, Alaska is an essential research destination for NASA’s multiyear SnowEx campaign.
Posted inNews
Rare Wintertime Thunderstorms Recorded over the U.S. Gulf Coast
“Thundersnow”—thunderstorm activity accompanying a winter storm—was spotted near southern Texas earlier this year.
Posted inOpinions
Microplastics’ Hidden Contribution to Snow Melting
Microplastic particles, present everywhere on the planet, may complicate assessments of black carbon’s role in the melting of snow and of its contributions to Earth’s radiative balance.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
A Census of Snowdrifts in Northern Alaska
Snowdrifts prove less ephemeral than they might seem, occurring in the same places year after year.
Posted inNews
New Tool Quantifies and Predicts Snow Droughts
A new metric for calculating snow water equivalence relies on three methodologies: modeling, satellite imagery, and direct observation.