Variation Characteristics of Snow Cover and the Relation to Air Temperature and Precipitation in Manasi River Basin

This paper analyzed the spatial distribution,seasonal and inter-annual variability of snow cover over the Manasi River basin from 2000 to 2009,and their relation to temperature and precipitation in the corresponding period by using snow cover data from MODIS and the corresponding meteorological data.The results indicate that the snow cover of four zones in Manasi River Basin is various along with seasonal alternation;snow cover of zone 1 changed most intensely and got the most obvious influence by climate change among four zones;both zone 2 and zone 3 were mild in the increase and decrease of snow cover;zone 4 got the least influence from climate change.At the inter-annual level fluctuation,the snow cover change of zone 1 was more obvious than others with seasonal alternation,and seasonal change of zone 4 was less.The correlation analysis between snow cover over the whole basin and climate data indicated that precipitation had more significant effect on snow cover in winter;however,temperature was the main influence factor to snow cover area in spring.