As global temperatures continue to rise, researchers have noted distinct changes in historic climate patterns. For areas in New Hampshire, this has resulted in a diminished snowpack that has triggered cascading effects. 

What's happening?

First reported by the Maine Morning Star, communities across New Hampshire have taken notice of stark changes in how their winter landscape has looked over the last several years. Due to elevated temperatures and reduced snowfall, the region's snowpack has suffered a major setback. This has led to an overlooked side effect that is impacting the health of forests.  

Snowpack is an accumulation of snow on the ground that can persist for weeks, months, or even the year in certain high-elevation locations. The layers of snow can often compress over time, forming a harder and sturdier mass. 

According to a recent study published in the journal Plos Climate, there may be a few reasons for New Hampshire's snowpack reduction. The team of researchers observed conditions at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire. "Snowpack maximums and duration have both declined over our 56-year record of snowpack monitoring," the study reads. 

The team suggested that warming temperatures appear to affect snowpack duration "through alterations of their energy budget before those temperatures result in changes in precipitation form." From increased severe weather to altered climate patterns, rising global temperatures can have far-reaching impacts throughout our planet.   

Why is snowpack loss important?

Snowpack can serve a number of vital purposes that benefit regional ecosystems, such as impacting temperatures by reflecting solar radiation and acting as an insulator. The layer of snow also acts as a natural reservoir, holding water that melts in the spring and summer to feed streams, rivers, and other crucial bodies of water. This provides essential water resources for drinking, agriculture, and wildlife habitats. 

Appalachian Mountain Club senior scientist Georgia Murray notes that significant changes in snowmelt can have a tremendous impact on natural cycles. "In climate change, there can be these mismatches of synchronicity," Murray said. "The snowmelt timing has a strong impact in the spring, and can have a ripple effect over the growing season." 

As climate patterns change and become more unpredictable, natural resources like snowmelt can become limited. 

Pamela Templer, chair of the Biology department at Boston University, pointed to rapidly fluctuating temperatures as also having a major impact on trees in the region. This is due to the constant freezing and thawing cycle during the winter months, putting extra stress on the trees. 

What's being done about the reduced snowpack in New Hampshire?

Murray explained that the collection of daily snowpack depth and snow water equivalent measurements can go a long way in better understanding climate trends. This includes the involvement of snowpack observations from nearby residents.   

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"It's complex with snowpack, because you have, you know, nooks and crannies across the mountain, and so you have so many ways that snow is distributed differently. Having citizen science data fill in the gaps is something we really value in the mountain ecosystem, where we can't be everywhere," Murray said, according to the Maine Morning Star. 

While snowpack may often be overlooked by the general population, researchers are paying close attention. "It touches our lives in so many ways," added Murray. "… We hope that people see the science that we're doing, so that they can understand what's happening, and how it links to their lives and the outdoors."

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