Why climate researchers are taking the temperature of mountain snow
1 min read
Summary
Climate change is making the weather increasingly erratic, thus making it more important than ever for scientists to be able to predict when water will reach reservoirs.
To that end, researchers are using a new method of taking the temperature of snowpack to improve water forecasting.
The California Cold Content Initiative is testing instruments that can survive the winter and transmit hourly temperature readings.
However, there are concerns that cuts to federal agencies will impact snowpack monitoring and survey work.
The Trump administration has cut more than 6,000 positions from the US Department of Agriculture, which oversees federal snow survey work.
This could jeopardise efforts to produce water data and forecasts on which Western communities rely.