Student Research Reports

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This report investigates the relationship between snowpack depth and air temperature. Our class became aware of the importance of a good layer of snowpack to insulate plants like berries that have been traditional foods of our ancestors and us. We are concerned that with Global Climate Change, that the change in temperature can affect the snowpack covering these plants. We used the GLOBE Current Air Temperature Protocol, and the GLOBE Solid Precipitation Protocol for the Snowpack and Snowfall Data. We also used data from NOAA taken at the Palmer Airport, AK. Our results showed that the snowpack depth did vary according to the air temperature, and there were other factors that affected the snowpack depth like the wind blowing the snow away and drifting. When the air temperature was above 0℃, it could melt the snow, causing the snowpack level to decrease. It could also rain if the temperature is above 0℃ which could cause the snowpack level to decrease. When the air temperature goes below 0℃, the melted snow can freeze, which can make the snowpack level decrease. The decrease in the snowpack level and the ice forming could be harmful to berries and other plants. We also found that there were 88 days below 0℃ and 32 days above 0 °C. The data shows the average temperatures for each month: November, 2023 was -0.95℃, December, 2023 was -8.51℃, January, 2024 was -10.32℃ , and February,2024 was -5.69℃.