Gao et al. (2026) The Fate of Snowmelt: Global Partitioning Into Runoff and Evaporation

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Water Resources Research
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-07-01
• Authors: Hongkai Gao, Shuting Zhou, Yahui Wang, Qiaojuan Xi, Leilei Yong, Zehua Chang, Muhammad Adnan, Fang Zhao, Markus Hrachowitz, Hubert H. G. Savenije
• DOI: 10.1029/2025wr043009

Research Groups

• Department of Hydrology, University of Colorado Boulder
• Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zurich

Short Summary

This study presents a comprehensive assessment of global snowmelt partitioning using a process-based hydrological model, revealing that 53%–71% of snowmelt runs off globally and 29%–47% contributes to evaporation.

Objective

• Investigate the global partitioning of snowmelt into runoff and evaporation

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Global (excluding Antarctica and Greenland)
• Temporal Scale: 1980 to 2014

Methodology and Data

• Models used: FLEX-Global, ISBA, mHM
• Data sources: Meteorological data, observed streamflow, snow water equivalent

Main Results

• Snowmelt partitioning exhibits distinct latitudinal and climatic patterns: contributions of snowmelt to both runoff and evaporation increase with latitude.
• In cold–humid high‐latitude regions, more than 60% of snowmelt becomes runoff, whereas in mid‐latitude arid regions, 63%–91% is released from the terrestrial ecosystems as evaporation.

Contributions

• Provides a comprehensive assessment of global snowmelt partitioning, redefining its importance in the global hydrological cycle and associated ecosystem services.
• Offers new insights into the dual role of snowmelt in sustaining freshwater availability and supporting vegetation water demand.

Funding

• Not specified

Citation

@article{Gao2026Fate,
  author = {Gao, Hongkai and Zhou, Shuting and Wang, Yahui and Xi, Qiaojuan and Yong, Leilei and Chang, Zehua and Adnan, Muhammad and Zhao, Fang and Hrachowitz, Markus and Savenije, Hubert H. G.},
  title = {The Fate of Snowmelt: Global Partitioning Into Runoff and Evaporation},
  journal = {Water Resources Research},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1029/2025wr043009},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2025wr043009}
}