Long-Term Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Snow Cover in the Arys River Basin (Western Tien Shan)

A long-term analysis of snow cover dynamics in the Arys River basin (Western Tien Shan) reveals significant interannual variability and a weak but notable decline in snow-covered area, averaging 0.37% per year between 2000–2024. The study, leveraging MODIS satellite data and validated against meteorological station records, found the most pronounced reductions at mid-elevation zones. These trends suggest growing risks to seasonal water availability, particularly under ongoing climate change, with implications for water resource management in Central Asia's Syr Darya basin.

Koshim, A., Takibayev, Z., Gafurov, A., Munaitpassova, A., Kanatkaliyev, D., Bekzhanova, A., Zhumalipov, A., & Sharapkhanova, Z. (2026). Long-Term Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Snow Cover in the Arys River Basin (Western Tien Shan). Hydrology, 13(4), 115. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology13040115