Abstract

SnowCloud: A Cloud-based Snow GIS for the western United States
Track: Water Resources
Authors: Stephanie Granger

In the western United States, more than 70 percent of the freshwater supply comes from snowmelt, but the region is facing significant water resource challenges due to increasing demands.
Remote sensing has the potential to improve understanding and forecasts by filling gaps in existing ground-based sensor networks. However, these data are not fully utilized, and access remains a challenge. A solution to this problem is a Snow geographic information system (GIS).
We demonstrate a rich, interactive mapping environment for snow-related water resources made possible by Esri web-based mapping services. These services enable a cloud-based interface for mapping snow information (MODSCAG) derived from NASA's MODIS instrument. We combine NASA MODSCAG snow products with ground data including USDA's SNOTEL network of sensors. The GIS mapping capabilities we demonstrate can help to facilitate discovery and analysis of snow information products.