SnowHydro 2024

Snow is an important component of the hydrologic cycle. The seasonal storage of water in the snowpack may last over months, and its delayed release is a major factor in guaranteeing a reliable water supply for ecosystems and human needs during dry periods. On the other hand, rapid snowmelt can cause destruction through sudden floods, mostly in combination with rainfall. The spatial heterogeneity of snow accumulation and ablation in complex terrain is as a result of multiple processes, and accurate snow cover estimation remains a challenge. Increasing air temperatures and changing precipitation patterns, driven by climate change, will modify snow conditions and thus lead to changing water supplies. The consequences of reduced snow duration and the fact that rain will make up an increasing share of overall precipitation will completely change the hydrology of many regions and may lead to severe water problems. In alpine settings, other components of the cryosphere like glaciers and mountain permafrost will be affected by these changes, with a large array of consequences for ecosystems, geomorphological processes, water resources and hazard risks. Traditional snow, glacier and permafrost measuring methods provide accurate information at the point scale, but they lack spatial coverage. Latest remote sensing techniques on the other hand are able to monitor the cryosphere over large spatial domains, but may be limited by temporal resolution and are often biased. Hydrological models require reliable input data, but the availability of such data is particularly limited for mountainous regions. The simulation of snowmelt often lacks sufficient spatial and temporal detail, so that the forecasting of snowmelt runoff for operational purposes is still a challenging task. The SnowHydro conference will address a range of topics with regard to the cryospheric components of the hydrological cycle, especially snow, and their significance for hydrology, but also glacier and permafrost as those components are tightly related to snow dynamics. It aims at bringing together experience from experimental research, modelling and remote sensing, with a view to facilitate joint research on snow science and connected fields. As a specificity to the Grenoble 2024 edition of SnowHydro, we propose a joint event with the Section Glacio-Nivologie-Permafrost of the French Hydrotechnics Society (SHF) which has been for decades hosting his annual meeting in Grenoble on similar topics, reaching also to glaciers and mountain permafrost research communities. Contributions in such fields are also encouraged at SnowHydro 2024.