Sponsors: University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (NOAA Grant)
Collaborators: Countries of the Southeastern Europe, Black-Sea Middle East Regions
The aim of these studies was to assess the snow cover and snow water equivalent of small watersheds in Southeastern Europe and the Black Sea and Middle East region for the springs of 2012 and 2013. The assessment includes diagnostic studies of the existing snow pack and snow melt and predictive studies that provide an outlook for the evolution of the snow pack and snow melt through the spring of 2012 and 2013. Data from in situ precipitation and temperature gauges as well as satellite-based gridded precipitation estimates in conjunction with an operational-quality snow accumulation and ablation model were used to define the state of the snow pack and to estimate snow melt runoff. Seasonal ensemble precipitation and temperature forecasts from the Climate Forecast System (CFSv2) formed the basis of the outlook generation for snow pack and melt evolution for the spring of 2012. A regional workshop held over the period 26-29 March 2012 in Ankara, Turkey, used the results of the initial assessment for Southeastern Europe to develop consensus for a regional outlook and to develop mitigation strategies to protect against excessive snowmelt runoff.