Why Did Greenland Witness Massive 16 Billion-Ton Snowfall In 2022? Experts Explain
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In March 2022, a storm dumped 16 billion tons of snow on Greenland, leading scientists to study how atmospheric rivers affect the Arctic.
This single storm was so intense that it helped counteract 8% of the Greenland ice sheet’s yearly loss. (Photo Credits: X)
Imagine waking up to a world blanketed in an immense layer of snow—not just a light coating or a few feet, but a staggering 16 billion tons of it. This extraordinary event occurred in Greenland in March 2022, when a powerful storm unleashed a massive snowfall over just a few days. This wasn’t an ordinary snowstorm; it was a significant weather event that temporarily slowed the island’s typical ice loss.
So, what caused this remarkable snowfall? A recent study published in Geophysical Research Letters points to atmospheric rivers — narrow bands in the sky that carry moisture and warmth from tropical regions to colder areas. When one of these moisture-rich systems reached Greenland’s icy terrain, it resulted in an astonishing amount of snowfall.
This powerful storm was so impactful that it offset 8% of Greenland’s annual ice sheet loss. Scientists are now closely monitoring how atmospheric rivers could influence the Arctic’s future.
While these moisture-laden systems are often linked to ice loss due to the warmth and rain they bring, their effects can vary. In warmer months, they accelerate melting — like the 2021 summer event that drenched Greenland in rain. However, during colder months, these atmospheric rivers can have the opposite effect, delivering heavy snowfall that temporarily restores ice sheets.
“Sadly, the Greenland ice sheet won’t be saved by atmospheric rivers. But what we see in this new study is that contrary to prevailing opinions, under the right conditions, atmospheric rivers might not be all bad news,” said study co-author Alun Hubbard, a field glaciologist at the University of Oulu, Finland, and the Arctic University of Tromsø, Norway.
This phenomenon is particularly significant because if the entire Greenland ice sheet were to melt, global sea levels would rise by more than 7 meters (23 feet). It would be a catastrophic scenario for coastal regions around the world. With climate change making atmospheric rivers more frequent and intense, their role in Arctic ice dynamics is becoming increasingly important to understand.
What Lies Ahead?
As the planet continues to warm, the balance between snowfall and rainfall in Greenland will shift. In the short term, atmospheric rivers might still bring massive snowfalls during the colder months, briefly offsetting ice loss. However, as temperatures rise, more of this precipitation will likely fall as rain, accelerating ice melt instead.
While the recent storm was a rare case of good news for Greenland’s ice sheet, scientists stress that more research is needed to fully understand how these weather patterns will shape the Arctic in the years ahead.
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