An energy budget approach to urban snow deposit melt

In urban areas in cold regions snow handling is a significant part of munic ipal activity. The snow is usually ploughed off the streets and then transp orted to a snow deposit. As a consequence the snow is mechanically blended, packed, polluted and piled up, giving it a characteristic texture, shape, and size. To predict snow deposit melt an energy budget model that uses gen eral meteorological data has been derived. The model is a synthesis of avai lable energy balance terms developed for natural snow covers, and general m ass and heat transfer considerations. This approach was found applicable fo r estimating snow deposit melt. Only geometry, radiation, sensible and late nt heat are included to the model. Radiation was found to be the major sour ce of snow deposit melt. Very little difference was found between top and s ide energy fluxes. Model predictions were compared with measurements of two pilot snow deposits which were constructed with snow collected from the st reets of Lulea, Sweden. The degree day approach also seems to be an applica ble method to estimate snow deposit melt.