Study finds peculiar tie between warm climate, slow snowmelt

DENVER: Researchers say global warming could melt mountain snow more slowly, a peculiar finding that might be bad news for the American West.

Snow is melting faster as the climate warms, according to scientists. The early thaw is slower than in the summer, according to new research, partially because the sun is weaker and the nights are cooler in late winter and early spring.

Slower snowmelt, according to the experts, might imply less water for humanity. Because snow melt that lingers in the soil could be absorbed by plants or evaporate rather than flowing into reservoirs, this is a concern.

The findings could also explain why, according to computer models, snow-fed rivers are predicted to run lower as the climate warms.

Their findings were published in the Nature Climate Change journal.