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lue color represented no convection. Air convection w<strong>as</strong> predicted to occur more frequently in<br />

<strong>the</strong> upper snowpack, especially in early spring. This may reflect on <strong>the</strong> snow <strong>an</strong>d soil<br />

characteristics, such <strong>as</strong> temperature, moisture <strong>an</strong>d grain size.<br />

Figure 8. Air convection simulated over <strong>the</strong> study period.<br />

Temperature Profiles<br />

Figure 9 compares <strong>the</strong> temperature profiles predicted by <strong>the</strong> two models with observations. The<br />

maximum difference between SSVAT <strong>an</strong>d observation of 0.3 K w<strong>as</strong> observed in soil temperature<br />

in late winter scenario, better <strong>the</strong>n that of SNTHERM (1.7 K). The maximum difference of 2.8 K<br />

w<strong>as</strong> observed by SSVAT in snow temperature, better th<strong>an</strong> 6 K by SNTHERM in early spring<br />

scenario. As expected, <strong>the</strong> bigger improvement w<strong>as</strong> displayed in early spring once <strong>the</strong> snowpack<br />

started melting. It also reflected on <strong>the</strong> simulated flux in <strong>the</strong> figures above. The temperature in <strong>the</strong><br />

upper snowpack c<strong>an</strong> be affected by <strong>the</strong> soil processes even when <strong>the</strong> soil <strong>an</strong>d lower snowpack<br />

temperature predictions by two models are similar (Fig 7 <strong>an</strong>d 8). This suggests that SSVAT better<br />

estimates temperature during <strong>the</strong> variable climate of late winter <strong>an</strong>d early spring, <strong>an</strong>d that <strong>the</strong> soil<br />

processes c<strong>an</strong>not be ignored for predicting <strong>the</strong> evolution of <strong>the</strong> snowpack.<br />

9

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