Variation of the proportion of precipitation occurring as snow in the Tian Shan Mountains, China

A decrease in the ratio of snowfall to precipitation (S/P) in the Tian Shan Mountains, China, has been linked to climate change. The study found that while both precipitation and snowfall increased from 1961 to 2010, rising temperatures during cold seasons led to a significant downward trend in this ratio. Spatially, the S/P ratio varied, increasing in some areas like the Boertala Valley but decreasing in others such as Yili Valley. Notably, middle altitudes (1500–2500 m) saw a pronounced decline, while high-altitude regions (>3500 m) remained relatively stable due to consistently freezing temperatures. The research attributes these changes primarily to relative shifts in snowfall and precipitation, with temperature increases exacerbating the trend.

Guo, L., & Li, L. (2014). Variation of the proportion of precipitation occurring as snow in the Tian Shan Mountains, China. International Journal of Climatology, 35(7), 1379–1393. https://doi.org/10.1002/joc.4063