Impacts of Atmospheric Rivers in Central Greenland: Snowfall, Clouds, and Atmospheric State
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are long bands of strong horizontal water vapor transport responsible for over 90% of total integrated vapor transport (IVT) in extratropical and polar regions. Using a 12‐year record (2010–2022) of ground‐based remote sensing, radiosonde, snow stake, and reanalysis data from Summit Station, Greenland, we quantify the impacts of 41 AR events on snowfall, clouds, and the atmospheric state. Although ARs occur 0.97% of all times and 2.68% of snowing times, they contribute 5.8% to total snowfall, enhance snowfall rates by 80%, and double daily snowfall accumulation relative to general snowing conditions. AR events increase near‐surface and atmospheric profile temperatures by over 7°C up to 350 hPa and increase specific humidity by 66%, deepen clouds and increase radar reflectivity. While ARs contribute only a modest fraction to total accumulation in central Greenland, they consistently produce clouds and snowfall and create an environment that enables enhanced snow particle growth processes typically not observed in an area characterized by cold, dry conditions.
DOI: 10.1029/2025jd044309
Institutions: University of Michigan, University of Leeds, National Centre for Atmospheric Science, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, NOAA Physical Sciences Laboratory, National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Space Science and Engineering Center
Language: English
Subfield: Atmospheric Science
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,070
Awards: NSFGEO-NERC: Collaborative Research: ICECAPS-MELT, Collaborative Research: NSFGEO-NERC: Integrated Characterization of Energy, Clouds, Atmospheric state, and Precipitation at Summit: Measurements along Lagrangian Transects, G7198630863, G791210685, Collaborative Research: NSFGEO-NERC: Integrated Characterization of Energy, Clouds, Atmospheric state, and Precipitation at Summit: Measurements along Lagrangian Transects
OpenAlex ID: W7125645665