Observational snow depth dataset of the Tibetan Plateau (Version 1.0) (1961-2013)

The Tibetan Plateau has an average altitude of over 4000 m and is the region with the highest altitude and the largest snow cover in the middle and low latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere regions. Snow cover is the most important underlying surface of the seasonal changes on the Tibetan Plateau and an important composing element of ecological environment. Ice and snow melt water is an important water resource of the plateau and its downstream areas. At the same time, plateau snow, as an important land-surface forcing factor, is closely related to disastrous weather (such as droughts and floods) in East Asia, the South Asian monsoon and in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It is an important indicator of short-term climate prediction and one of the most sensitive responses to global climate change. The snow depth refers to the vertical depth from the surface of the snow to the ground. It is an important parameter for snow characteristics and one of the conventional meteorological observation elements. It is the key parameter of snow water equivalent estimation, climate effect studies of snow cover, the basin water balance, the simulation and monitoring of snow-melt, and snow disaster evaluation and grading.In this data set, the Tibetan Plateau boundary was determined by adopting the natural topography as the leading factor and by comprehensive consideration of the principles of altitude, plateau and mountain integrity. The main part of the plateau is in the Tibetan Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province, with an area of 2.572 million square kilometers, accounting for 26.8% of the total land area of China. The snow depth observation data are the monthly maximum snow depth data after quality detection and quality control. There are 102 meteorological stations in the study area, most of which were built during the 1950s to 1970s. The data for some months or years for sites existing during this period were missing, and the complete observational records from 1961 to 2013 were adopted. The temporal resolution is daily, the spatial coverage is the Tibetan Plateau, and all the data were quality controlled. Accurate and detailed plateau snow depth data are of great significance for the diagnosis of climate change, the evolution of the Asian monsoon and the management of regional snow-melt water resources.

青藏高原平均海拔超过4000米，为北半球中低纬度地区海拔最高、积雪覆盖面积最大的区域。积雪覆盖是青藏高原季节性变化的最重要基础地表，亦是生态环境的重要组成部分。冰雪融水是该高原及其下游地区的重要水资源。同时，高原积雪作为重要的地表强迫因子，与东亚的干旱和洪水等灾害性天气、南亚季风以及长江中下游地区密切相关。它是短期气候预测的重要指标，也是对全球气候变化最敏感的响应之一。积雪深度是指从雪面到地面的垂直深度，它是描述雪特性的重要参数，亦是传统气象观测要素之一。它是雪水当量估算、积雪覆盖气候效应研究、流域水平衡、积雪融水模拟与监测以及雪灾评估和分级的关键参数。在本数据集中，青藏高原边界是通过以自然地形为主导因素，并综合考虑海拔、高原及山脉完整性原则确定。高原主体位于西藏自治区和青海省，面积达257.2万平方公里，占中国总面积的26.8%。积雪深度观测数据为经过质量检测和质量控制后的月最大积雪深度数据。研究区域内共有102个气象站，其中大部分建于1950年至1970年期间。在此期间存在的站点某些月份或年份的数据缺失，因此选取了1961年至2013年的完整观测记录。时间分辨率为每日，空间覆盖范围为青藏高原，所有数据均经过质量控制。精确详细的青藏高原积雪深度数据对于气候变化诊断、亚洲季风演变以及区域积雪融水资源的经营管理具有重要意义。