Cramblitt et al. (2026) Cold‐Air Pooling and Temperature‐Elevation Mapping in a Colorado Watershed

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-10-08
• Authors: John Cramblitt, Rosemary W. H. Carroll, Jessica D. Lundquist
• DOI: 10.1029/2025jd045697

Research Groups

• University of Colorado's Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
• National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)

Short Summary

This study investigates the accuracy of gridded temperature products in narrow mountain valleys, proposing a novel approach to account for cold-air pooling effects on temperature variability. The research demonstrates improved temperature mapping using a CAP-aware scheme, which significantly reduces root mean square error compared to traditional lapse rate methods.

Objective

• Investigate the limitations of current gridded temperature products in resolving near-surface air temperature variability across terrain features, particularly in narrow mountain valleys.
• Develop and evaluate a new approach to map observed temperatures across terrain, accounting for cold-air pooling effects.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: The study focuses on Colorado's East River watershed (approximately 100 km²) and the state of Colorado as a whole (approximately 270,000 km²).
• Temporal Scale: Daily minimum temperatures during the melt season (June to August).

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Empirical orthogonal function decomposition and topographic algorithm for characterizing cold-air pooling effects.
• Data sources: A network of temperature sensors distributed across Colorado's East River watershed, PRISM gridded temperature product.

Main Results

• The CAP-aware scheme significantly reduces pooled root mean square error (RMSE) in predicted daily-minimum temperatures compared to traditional lapse rate methods (0.9°C vs. 5.6°C and 1.6°C).
• The approach retains skill even with low sensor density (1.1°C RMSE).

Contributions

• This study provides a novel solution for accurately mapping temperature variability across terrain features in narrow mountain valleys, accounting for cold-air pooling effects.
• The research highlights the importance of considering CAP effects when using gridded temperature products to force regional hydrologic models.

Funding

• National Science Foundation (NSF) grant # [insert grant number]
• University of Colorado's Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences internal funding

Citation

@article{Cramblitt2026ColdAir,
  author = {Cramblitt, John and Carroll, Rosemary  W. H. and Lundquist, Jessica D.},
  title = {Cold‐Air Pooling and Temperature‐Elevation Mapping in a Colorado Watershed},
  journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1029/2025jd045697},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2025jd045697}
}