Finding the Balance: Initiatives in Snowpack Monitoring

Agenda:
8:00 a.m. Open networking
8:15 a.m. Meeting will start
8:30 a.m. Presentation

~~~~~~~ Presentation ~~~~~~~~
Finding the Balance: Initiatives in Snowpack Monitoring for Increased Water Security
by Andrew Schwartz, PhD,
Director of the Central Sierra Snow Laboratory, UC Berkeley
https://cssl.berkeley.edu/

Increased interannual variability in Snow Water Equivalent and mid-season ablation periods have motivated transitions away from basic statistical modeling methods for water availability and flow forecasts to more comprehensive physical modeling techniques. These models, such as iSnobal or WRF-Hydro, use data assimilated from in-situ and remote sensing data sources from entities such as the USDA NRCS SNOTEL program and Airborne Snow Observatory to develop more precise forecasts. However, physical model performance relies heavily on the quality of the data being assimilated. As such, a renewed emphasis on comprehensive and precise measurement of snowpack and atmospheric conditions has emerged with the development of these models for operation.

In this presentation, gaps and deficiencies in snowpack monitoring pertaining to mass and energy balance will be highlighted. Initiatives that have been developed at the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Laboratory (CSSL) to address these gaps will also be discussed.

Bio:
Dr. Andrew Schwartz is the Director of the University of California, Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Laboratory. His interests include developing a better understanding of snowfall and snowpack physical processes, the impact of climate change on hydrological processes, and improved measurement of the environment. He is passionate about developing research that can be quickly and efficiently included in operations and policy decisions.

Dr. Schwartz grew up in Denver, Colorado fascinated by severe weather and the large snowstorms that came from upslope wind events. He became particularly interested in snow and winter weather while snowboarding in the Colorado Rockies. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Meteorology from Metropolitan State University of Denver and began work as an Associate Scientist working on winter weather at the National Center for Atmospheric Research shortly after. He completed his PhD in Atmospheric Science from the University of Queensland, Australia in 2021 where his research focused on the impacts of wildfire burn scars on snowfall and snowpack processes.
Dr. Schwartz prioritizes science communication and transparency and enjoys discussing the lab’s work and weather conditions with the broader community.
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