A reanalysis study was conducted using the WRF model, producing data from September 1st through December 31stfor the years 1982, 1985, 2007, and 2012. A 36km-12km nested domain was used to run the Era-Interim reanalysis data across the arctic region. Results provide monthly precipitation and snowfall totals for each year. Additionally, case studies are conducted where similar synoptic weather patterns are run over differing sea ice conditions, determining the impact of sea ice decline on precipitation and snowfall within individual cyclones.
The results of this study will go a long way toward understanding the feedback effects of a reduced Arctic sea ice extent. Snow cover in the Arctic has a significant impact on temperatures, and any change in snowpack onset or depth can alter the regional transition into the cold season. Additionally, changes in precipitation will impact the hydrologic cycle of the typically dry arctic region. Local impacts will have the potential to feedback on large scale synoptic weather patterns, leading to remote impacts as well. There is still much to learn about the effects of declining Arctic summer sea ice, and continued research will advance the understanding of the impact of climate change on the fragile Arctic environment.
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