This dataset is a historic average Spring (March, April, May) snowpack, in southern Sierra Nevada California, for 1971-2000, from the
California Basin Characterization Model (BCM)
Snowpack: Amount of snow accumulated per month summed annually, or if divided by 12
average monthly snowpack. This is calculated as prior month's snowpack plus
snowfall minus sublimation and snow melt.
The California Basin
Characterization Model (BCM) climate dataset provides historical and projected
climate surfaces for the state at a 270 meter resolution. The historical data
is based on 4 kilometer PRISM data, and the projected climate surfaces are based
on the A2 and B1 scenarios of the PCM and GFDL GCMs. The BCM approach uses a
regional water balance model based on high resolution downscaled precipitation
and temperature as well as elevation, geology, and soils to produce surfaces
for a wide range of variables. These variables include maximum temperature,
minimum temperature, precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, runoff,
recharge, climatic water deficit, actual evapotranspiration, sublimation, soil
water storage, snowfall, snowpack, snowmelt, and excess water. Data is
distributed as 30-year monthly summaries and 30-year water year summaries, with
month-by-month data for each year available by special request.
Creator: Flint, Lorraine E. and Flint, Alan
L.
Contributor: Thorne, James, and Boynton, Ryan
Publisher: Public Interest Energy Research Program (PIER),
California Energy Commission