The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) significantly influences global climate patterns, with one of the strongest warm phases (El Niño) occurring in 2023, altering precipitation and temperature regimes. In this study, the spatiotemporal variability in snow cover across Canadian provinces from December 2023 to February 2024 relative to long-term averages is explored. The NOAA-OISST, NOAA-CSFV2, and MODIS MOD10A1 remote sensing datasets were selected to assess the impacts of El Niño on snow cover changes and the subsequent effects on water availability, agricultural productivity, the municipal water supply, natural ecosystems, and wildfire risk in Canada. An analysis of sea surface temperature anomalies in the equatorial Pacific revealed that El Niño intensity and progression are linked to regional snow cover deviations. Compared with the long-term average, Canada’s snow cover area experienced significant declines in December 2023, January 2024, and February 2024, with decreases of 135,938 km2 (−7.43 %), 309,928 km2 (−15.26 %), and 136,406 km2 (−4.57 %), respectively. The findings indicate significant disparities among provinces, with Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba experiencing marked decreases in snow cover, whereas in Saskatchewan and Alberta, initial increases were followed by subsequent variability. In British Columbia, a late-season increase in snow was observed, whereas minor changes were noted in the Maritime provinces and Northern territories. The findings of this study highlight the importance of snow cover as an important factor that has a considerable impact on the hydrological cycle and agricultural productivity, influences environmental health and economic resilience, and is crucial for both natural ecosystems and human livelihoods.

中文翻译：

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白色的毯子，蓝色的海水：追踪加拿大的厄尔尼诺足迹


厄尔尼诺南方涛动 （ENSO） 对全球气候模式产生重大影响，其中最强的暖阶段之一（厄尔尼诺）发生在 2023 年，改变了降水和温度状况。在本研究中，探讨了 2023 年 12 月至 2024 年 2 月加拿大各省积雪相对于长期平均值的时空变化。选择 NOAA-OISST、NOAA-CSFV2 和 MODIS MOD10A1遥感数据集来评估厄尔尼诺现象对积雪变化的影响，以及随后对加拿大水资源供应、农业生产力、城市供水、自然生态系统和野火风险的影响。对赤道太平洋海面温度异常的分析表明，厄尔尼诺现象的强度和进展与区域积雪覆盖率偏差有关。与长期平均值相比，加拿大的积雪面积在 2023 年 12 月、2024 年 1 月和 2024 年 2 月显著下降，分别减少了 135,938 平方公里 （-7.43 %）、309,928 平方公里 （-15.26 %） 和 136,406 平方公里 （-4.57 %）。研究结果表明，各省之间存在显著差异，安大略省、魁北克省和曼尼托巴省的积雪覆盖率显著减少，而在萨斯喀彻温省和阿尔伯塔省，最初的增加之后是随后的变化。在不列颠哥伦比亚省，观察到季末降雪量增加，而沿海省份和北部地区则发生了微小的变化。这项研究的结果强调了积雪的重要性，它是一个重要因素，它对水文循环和农业生产力有相当大的影响，影响环境健康和经济弹性，对自然生态系统和人类生计都至关重要。