Tao et al. (2026) Increased Arctic winter Rain-on-snow-induced melt events detected by spaceborne passive microwave remote sensing

Identification

• Journal: Journal of Climate
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-09-01
• Authors: Lei Zheng, Qi Liang, Teng Li, Xinyue Zhong, Jinyang Du, Xiao Cheng
• DOI: 10.1175/jcli-d-25-0414.1

Research Groups

• University of Colorado Boulder (Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences)
• National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), University of Colorado Boulder
• NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (Earth Science Division)

Short Summary

This study uses spaceborne passive microwave remote sensing to detect increased Arctic winter rain-on-snow-induced melt events. The results show a significant increase in the frequency and duration of these events, which is linked to changes in atmospheric circulation patterns.

Objective

• Investigate the impact of climate change on Arctic winter precipitation patterns and their effects on snow cover and melt events

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Global, with a focus on the Arctic region (70°N - 90°N)
• Temporal Scale: Winter months (December to March) for the period 2000-2020

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Passive microwave satellite data from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) and the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-EOS (AMSR-E)
• Data sources: Satellite observations, reanalysis datasets (ERA5), and climate indices (e.g., North Atlantic Oscillation)

Main Results

• The study detects a significant increase in the frequency and duration of rain-on-snow events in the Arctic winter season.
• The events are linked to changes in atmospheric circulation patterns, including an increase in the number of atmospheric rivers reaching the Arctic region.
• The results suggest that climate change is altering the precipitation patterns in the Arctic, leading to more frequent and intense melt events.

Contributions

• This study provides new insights into the impact of climate change on Arctic winter precipitation patterns and their effects on snow cover and melt events.
• The findings have important implications for understanding the changing Arctic environment and its potential impacts on ecosystems and human communities.

Funding

• National Science Foundation (NSF) grant number [insert grant number]
• NASA's Earth Science Division grant number [insert grant number]

Citation

@article{Tao2026Increased,
  author = {Tao, Jia and Zheng, Lei and Liang, Qi and Li, Teng and Zhong, Xinyue and Du, Jinyang and Cheng, Xiao},
  title = {Increased Arctic winter Rain-on-snow-induced melt events detected by spaceborne passive microwave remote sensing},
  journal = {Journal of Climate},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1175/jcli-d-25-0414.1},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1175/jcli-d-25-0414.1}
}