Snow distribution patterns in clearings and adjacent forest [Patrons de répartition de la neige dans les clairières et les forëts adjacentes] [Patrons de distribution de neige dans les clairières et les forëts adjacentes].

Résumé

Snow accumulation patterns were determined for clearings and adjacent forest at Marmot Creek experimental watershed and James River, Alberta. The differences increased with clearing size and time since the beginning of the accumulation period and are caused by snow ablation (melt and evaporation), a function of direct solar radiation reaching the snowpack. In such situations the snow that has accumulated on the ground cannot be considered a measure of the snow that has actually fallen there. For water balances and hydrologic modeling, snow measurements in partially cleared watersheds must be adjusted for temporal and spatial factors specific to the watershed.