Long-term Trend and Variability of Rain on Snow and Weather Extremes on Mount Washington

This study aims to investigate the dynamic landscape of Mount Washington's climate variability by evaluating rain on snow (ROS) records from 1980 to 2020. Rain on snow (ROS) events represent a climatological phenomenon with increasing implications for hydrological systems and ecosystems on Mount Washington summit. In the face of a changing climate, understanding the complex interplay between rainfall and snowpack dynamics becomes essential. Furthermore, as we probed the intriguing question of whether alterations in these averages have become a discernible impact on summit precipitation, specifically investigating the correlation between changing patterns and an increased occurrence of rain on snow events during winter months.

The assessment of ROS is based on snow depth and precipitation on snow counts with four decades of data. Analyzing the trending of ROS, we intend to identify the occurrence of extreme weather events and their intensification over Mount Washington. Furthermore, we will investigate the predictability of such extreme events in terms of sub-seasonal to seasonal (S2S) prediction, thereby instigating broader shifts in the climate's baseline characteristics.

The preliminary results suggest an increase in snow depth, this trend underscores the dynamic nature of snow accumulation over the decades. Examining precipitation on snow counts, we observed a corresponding upward trajectory. This suggests a potential link between precipitation on snow counts and snow depth patterns. These findings suggest the correlation between rising snow depth and increased precipitation on snow counts presents an avenue for continuous research on rain on snow events on Mount Washington.