Item: VALIDATION OF SNOWPACK SIMULATIONS USING A LOW-COST WEATHER STATION IN SOUTHERN NORWAY
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Title: VALIDATION OF SNOWPACK SIMULATIONS USING A LOW-COST WEATHER STATION IN SOUTHERN NORWAY
Proceedings: Proceedings, International Snow Science Workshop, Whistler, BC, Canada, 2026
Authors:
- Bert Kruyt [ Norwegian Water and Energy Directorate NVE, Oslo, Norway ]
- Markus Landrø [ Norwegian Water and Energy Directorate NVE, Oslo, Norway ]
- Håvard Boutera Toft [ Norwegian Water and Energy Directorate NVE, Oslo, Norway ]
- Rasmus Haury [ Norwegian Water and Energy Directorate NVE, Oslo, Norway ]
- Eirik Stave [ Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogndal, Norway ]
- Jostein Aasen [ Norwegian Water and Energy Directorate NVE, Oslo, Norway ]
- Karsten Müller [ Norwegian Water and Energy Directorate NVE, Oslo, Norway ]
Date: 2026-09-28
Abstract: Snow-cover models are increasingly used to support avalanche forecasting, but their reliability must be demonstrated under prevailing climatic conditions before they can become part of operational workflows. We present a first validation of the SNOWPACK model for Norway using repeated snow-profile observations collected during the winter of 2025/26 at two sites representing continental and maritime snow climates. Simulations forced with numerical weather prediction (NWP) data and measurements from low-cost weather stations were compared with observed snowpack evolution. The results show that errors in meteorological forcing, particularly a cold bias in NWP air temperature, strongly influence simulated snow depth and snowpack structure. Including explicit soil layers improved the simulation of temperature gradients and depth-hoar formation, while modifications to melt-freeze crust metamorphism improved agreement with observed grain-type evolution. Across both sites, however, simulations tended to overestimate the occurrence of melt forms and rounding facets relative to observations. Overall, SNOWPACK reproduced the main characteristics of the observed snowpacks when appropriate forcing data and model settings were used. The study provides an important first step toward the operational use of SNOWPACK in avalanche forecasting in Norway and highlights areas where further model development is needed.
Object ID: ISSW2026_P3.26.pdf
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15788/1790099139
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Bert Kruyt
Keywords: Validation, Modelling, SNOWPACK, Norway, case-study
Page Number(s): 1135 - 1142
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