STUDY ON EFFECT OF QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE CHANGES OF SNOW COVER FROM THE FUTURE CLIMATE CHANGE

Abstract

 This study addresses the regional influence of global warming in dam basins in snowy region on the quantity and quality of accumulated snow, using the climate change prediction data corresponding to the fifth IPCC report. The changes of accumulated snow were analyzed using the Long-term Hydrologic Assessment Model Considering the Snow Process (LoHAS) and the applications of the SNOWPACK snow cover model, based on climate change prediction data that was subjected to bias correction and for which down-scaling of 1-km mesh sizes in dam basins was performed. It was estimated that the following will occur: a decrease in water equivalent of snowpack in dam basins, a shift in the end of thaw to earlier and significant reductions in the snow cover period. In addition, it was revealed that the future snow will become granular earlier than it does at present. It is necessary to continuously and quantitatively investigate the influence of future climate change on the local economy with respect to winter tourism.