Less snow globally in the future, study shows
A new climate model predicts that snowfall will decrease globally due to global warming except at the poles and the Earth’s highest altitudes.
A newly developed climate model says that snowfall will decrease around the world over the next century.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) researchers said that the Earth's poles and highest altitudes will be the only places with increased snowfall.
The new model is said to be more advanced than others given that it considers topography.
The reason for the reduction is increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) levels.
The northeast United States will be one of the most affected regions in the world with snowfall dropping to half the current levels, said UPI.
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Scientists say the decreased snowfall can harm sensitive ecosystems.
“The decline in snowfall could spell trouble for regions such as the western United States that rely on snowmelt as a source of fresh water,” said study author Catherine Zandonella, reported Red Orbit.
“In very cold regions of the globe, however, snowfall will rise because as air warms it can hold more moisture, leading to increased precipitation in the form of snow."
The findings were published in the Journal of Climate.