Spatiotemporal variation analysis of snow cover in eastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau based on satellite remote sensing data

doi:10.11755/j.issn.1006-7639-2026-01-0056

Abstract

Abstract:

The changes in snow cover on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau have significant impacts on weather, climate, and hydrological processes. In the context of global warming, the climate change in the complex terrain area in the eastern part of the plateau shows altitude dependence, but the characteristics of snow cover changes with altitude on the plateau are still unclear. The spatio-temporal variation characteristics of snow cover frequency in the eastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau from 2003 to 2021 and its main influencing factors were analyzed by using the daily cloud-free satellite remote sensing snow cover dataset and gridded meteorological data. The results indicate that: 1) High values of snow cover frequency are mainly located in the high-altitude mountainous areas in the southern of the study area. In the southern part of the eastern plateau in spring, the frequency of snow cover is higher than in winter, while in the inland, the frequency of snow cover is higher in winter than in spring. The frequency of snow cover generally increases first and then stabilizes with respect to altitude, reaching its peak at about 6 000 meters. Above 4 000 meters, it shows a bimodal pattern, with peaks occurring in November and from March to April; below 4 000 meters, it follows a unimodal pattern, with the peak in January. 2) Except for the significant decrease trend observed in autumn snow cover, the overall change trends of snow cover in spring, winter and the annual average are not significant. However, the snow cover in all periods in areas above 6 000 meters in altitude decreases significantly. 3) Snow cover is generally negatively correlated with temperature, being significantly in winter and spring. It is positively correlated with precipitation, with the strongest and most extensive correlations in winter. Significant positive correlations are also observed in autumn in the southern, inland, and the Qilian Mountain regions, and in spring in the southeastern and northeastern mid-to-high altitude areas. 4) Compared with past studies based on shorter time series of original MODIS snow cover data, the snow cover variation characteristics reflected by the long-term cloud-free dataset show distinct differences and greater reliability.

Key words: the eastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, snow cover frequency, spatial-temporal distribution, change trend

摘要：

青藏高原积雪变化对天气气候以及水文过程具有重要影响，全球变暖背景下高原东部复杂地形区域气候变化表现出海拔依赖性，但高原积雪随海拔高度的气候变化特征尚不明确。利用逐日无云卫星遥感积雪数据集和格点气象资料分析2003—2021年青藏高原东部积雪覆盖频率的时空变化特征及其主要影响因子，结果表明：1）积雪覆盖频率高值区主要位于研究区南部高海拔山区；春季高原东部的南部地区积雪覆盖频率高于冬季，而其内陆冬季积雪覆盖频率高于春季。积雪覆盖频率随海拔高度总体为先增加后平稳，在海拔6 000 m左右达到峰值；海拔4 000 m以上呈双峰型，峰值出现在11月及3—4月；4 000 m以下为单峰型，峰值在1月。2）除秋季积雪表现出显著减少趋势外，春季、冬季和年平均积雪的整体变化趋势并不显著，但海拔6 000 m以上区域各时段积雪均显著减少。3）积雪与气温总体负相关，冬春季显著；与降水正相关，冬季最强最广，秋季在南部、内陆及祁连山显著，春季在东南和东北部中高海拔区显著。4）与过去较短时段原始MODIS积雪数据相比，长时间序列无云数据集反映的积雪变化特征有明显的差异并且更加合理。

关键词: 青藏高原东部, 积雪覆盖频率, 时空分布, 变化趋势

CLC Number:

P405

YIN Ye, ZHANG Hui, WANG Hantao, SONG Yunfan. Spatiotemporal variation analysis of snow cover in eastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau based on satellite remote sensing data[J]. Journal of Arid Meteorology, 2026, 44(1): 56-70.

尹晔, 张慧, 王汉涛, 宋云帆. 基于卫星遥感数据的青藏高原东部积雪覆盖时空变化分析[J]. 干旱气象, 2026, 44(1): 56-70.

Figures/Tables 17

Fig.1 Research area

Tab.1 Slope change and significance test classification criteria

分类	$θ s l o p e$	P
极显著减少	<0	<0.01
显著减少	<0	[0.01，0.05]
不显著	<0或者>0	>0.05
极显著增加	>0	<0.01
显著增加	>0	[0.01，0.05]

Tab.1 Slope change and significance test classification criteria

分类	$θ s l o p e$	P
极显著减少	<0	<0.01
显著减少	<0	[0.01，0.05]
不显著	<0或者>0	>0.05
极显著增加	>0	<0.01
显著增加	>0	[0.01，0.05]

Fig.2 Variation of yearly proportion of different snow cover types in the eastern region of the plateau from 2003 to 2021

Fig.3 Spatial distribution of different types of snow cover in the eastern region of the plateau from 2003 to 2021

Fig.4 Spatial distribution of monthly snow cover frequency in the eastern region of the plateau from 2003 to 2021（Unit： %）

Fig.5 Monthly evolution of snow cover frequency at different altitudes in the eastern region of the plateau from 2003 to 2021

Fig.6 Spatial distribution of seasonal and annual average snow cover frequency in the eastern region of the plateau from 2003 to 2021 （Unit： %）（a） autumn，（b） winter，（c） spring，（d） annual

Fig.7 The average （the dots） and variability （the upper and lower short dashes ） of seasonal and annual average snow cover frequency at different altitudes （a） autumn，（b） winter，（c） spring，（d） annual

Fig.8 Spatial distribution of the changing trends of seasonal and annual average snow cover frequency （Unit： %·a-1）（a）autumn，（b） winter，（c） spring，（d） annual

Fig.9 The inter-annual variations （solid lines） and trends （dashed lines） of the seasonal and annual average snow cover frequency at different altitudes （a） autumn，（b） winter，（c） spring，（d） annual

Tab.2 The changing trend values of seasonal and annual average snow cover frequency at different altitudes

时段	海拔高度/m
时段	（3 000，4 000]	（4 000，5 000]	（5 000，6 000]	>6 000	整体
秋季	-0.020	-0.190	-0.622	-0.536**	-0.228*
冬季	-0.031	0.224	0.105	-0.266**	0.003
春季	-0.016	0.229	0.292	-0.103	0.066
年平均	-0.053	0.105	0.106	-0.257**	-0.018

Fig.10 The spatial distribution of correlation coefficients between seasonal and annual average snow cover frequency and the corresponding air temperature （a） autumn，（b） winter，（c） spring，（d） annual

Tab.3 The correlation coefficients between seasonal and annual average snow cover frequency and the corresponding air temperature at different altitudes

时段	海拔高度/m
时段	≤2 000	（2 000，3 000]	（3 000，4 000]	（4 000，5 000]	（5 000，6 000]	>6 000	整体
秋季	-0.016	-0.110	-0.121	-0.231	-0.387	-0.324	-0.198
冬季	-0.091	-0.308	-0.305	-0.277	-0.293	0.117	-0.194
春季	-0.002	-0.044	-0.099	-0.256	-0.357	-0.172	-0.155
年平均	-0.045	-0.269	-0.244	-0.218	-0.280	-0.153	-0.201

Fig.11 The spatial distribution of correlation coefficients between seasonal and annual average snow cover frequency and the corresponding precipitation （a） autumn，（b） winter，（c） spring，（d） annual

Tab.4 The correlation coefficients between seasonal and annual average snow cover frequency and the corresponding precipitation at different altitudes

时段	海拔高度/m
时段	≤2 000	（2 000，3 000]	（3 000，4 000]	（4 000，5 000]	（5 000，6 000]	≥6 000	整体
秋季	0.066	0.021	0.019	0.171	0.263	0.161	0.117
冬季	0.109	0.115	0.177	0.344	0.391	0.031	0.194
春季	0.050	0.059	0.182	0.205	0.125	0.065	0.114
年平均	0.013	0.039	0.049	0.165	0.185	0.168	0.103

Fig.12 Spatial distribution of seasonal and annual average temperature change trends （Unit： ℃·a-1）（a） autumn，（b） winter，（c） spring，（d） annual

Fig.13 Spatial distribution of seasonal and annual average precipitation change trends （Unit： mm·a-1）（a） autumn，（b） winter，（c） spring，（d） annual

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