Snow-eater heat waves of the western united states
Rhoades, A. M., North, J., Rudisill, W., Hatchett, B. J., Risser, M., et al. (2026). Snow-eater heat waves of the western united states. Science Advances, doi:https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aeb3361
| Title | Snow-eater heat waves of the western united states |
|---|---|
| Genre | Article |
| Author(s) | A. M. Rhoades, J. North, W. Rudisill, B. J. Hatchett, M. Risser, A. Beltran-Pena, A. Heggli, S. Hotaling, L. S. Huning, A. Joros, M. D. LaPlante, A. Mahesh, Adrienne M. Marshall, Rachel McCrary, D. McEvoy, S. Rahimi, M. S. Raleigh, C. Randall, A. Srivastava, M. Wehner, Y. Zhou, A. D. Jones |
| Abstract | Abrupt snowmelt, triggered by rain-on-snow events or "snow-eater heat waves," can cause flooding, initiate or accelerate snow drought, and affect water availability. However, the characteristics (e.g., area, duration, and frequency), impacts, and trends of snow-eater heat waves have received little attention. To address this gap, we developed a method to identify snow-eater heat waves and estimate their melt potential using 20th Century Reanalysis version 3 air temperature data, the TempestExtremes algorithm, and an operational snowmelt model (SNOW-17) across 1850-2015. Melt season snow-eater heat waves typically last 3 to 5 days, with three to five events, doubling snowmelt rates. Seven of 11 spring superfloods are shown to coincide with snow-eater heat waves. Since the 1850s, snow-eater heat waves have increased in area and frequency, decreased in duration, and shifted earlier in the melt season. Incorporating snow-eater heat-wave impacts into SNOW-17 enhances extreme melt estimates, improving water management support tools. |
| Publication Title | Science Advances |
| Publication Date | Aug 1, 2026 |
| Publisher's Version of Record | https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aeb3361 |
| OpenSky Citable URL | https://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d71r6w3d |
| OpenSky Listing | View on OpenSky |
| RAL Affiliations | RISC |