Decreased snow cover

"Snow cover" refers to the amount of land covered by snow at any given time. Naturally, it is influenced by the amount of precipitation that falls as snow. Air temperature also plays a role because it determines whether precipitation falls as snow or rain, and it affects the rate at which snow on the ground melts. As temperature and precipitation patterns change, so can the overall area covered by snow.

Snow cover is not just something that is affected by climate change; it also exerts an influence on climate. Because snow is white, it absorbs only a small portion of the sunlight that hits it (10 to 20 percent in the case of fresh snow) and reflects the rest back to space. In contrast, darker surfaces such as bare ground and open water absorb the majority of the energy they receive and heat up more quickly. In this way, the overall amount of snow cover affects patterns of heating and cooling over the Earth’s surface. More snow means more energy reflects back to space, resulting in cooling, while less snow cover means more energy is absorbed at the Earth’s surface, resulting in warming.

On a more local scale, snow cover is important for many plants and animals. For example, some plants and animals rely on a protective blanket of snow to insulate them from sub-freezing winter temperatures. Humans and ecosystems also rely on snowmelt to replenish streams and groundwater. Snow cover also keeps the soil moist, so if the snow melts away earlier in the spring, the soil may dry out sooner, which can stress plants and increase the risk of wildfire