ESSEM COST Action ES1404: A European network for a harmonised monitoring of snow for the benefit of climate change scenarios, hydrology and numerical weather prediction

Introduction to ESSEM COST Action ES1404

This COST Action on SNOW aims at building a better connection between snow measurements and models, between snow observers, researchers and forecasters, for the benefit of various stakeholders and the entire society.

Aim of the Action

To enhance the capability of the research community and operational services to provide and exploit quality-assured and comparable regional and global observation-based data on the variability of the state and extent of snow.

Overall Objectives & Benefits

  • Establish a European-wide science network on snow measurements for their optimum use and applications benefitting on interactions across disciplines and expertise.
  • Assess and harmonise practices, standards and retrieval algorithms applied to ground, air- and space-borne snow measurements => Foster their acceptance by key snow network operators at the international level.
  • Develop a rationale and long term strategy for snow measurements, their dissemination and archiving.
  • Advance snow data assimilation in European NWP and hydrological models and show its benefit for relevant applications.
  • Establish a validation strategy for climate, NWP and hydrological models against snow observations and foster its implementation within the European modelling communities.
  • Training of a new generation of scientists on snow science and measuring techniques with a broader and more holistic perspective linked with the various applications.

  • Action

    Participating Countries

    Countries that participating in the action are; Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom.

    Countries
    Participating countries
    COST is supported by the EU Framework Programme Horizon 2020 COST is supported by the EU Framework Programme Horizon 2020

    Notice board
    The European Snow Booklet
    Presentations from "Workshop: Towards a better harmonization of snow observations, modeling and data assimilation" are available.
    Abstract submission for Workshop: Towards a better harmonization of snow observations, modeling and data assimilation in Europe 30 - 31 October 2018
    "European In-Situ Snow Measurements: Practices and Purposes" published in "Sensors SI: Observation and In-Situ Sensing for Risk Assessment from Natural Threats."
    Report of Workshop on Integrated long-term Snow Chemistry Monitoring, 26 February - 02 March 2018
    Summary of Training School on Snow Observations and Data Assimilation in Bormio are available now.
    Lecture slides of Training School on Snow Observations and Data Assimilation in Bormio are available now.
    Special Issue "Remote Sensing of Snow and Its Applications" is open for submissions!
    Call for papers: The Frontiers open new Research Topic on "Atmosphere - Cryosphere Interaction in the Arctic, at High Latitudes and Mountains with Focus on Transport, Deposition and Effects of Dust, Black Carbon, and other Aerosols"
    Snow data assimilation spring school will be held in Bormio, Italy in March 12-16, 2018.