Monitoring Lebanon's daily snow cover between 2000 and 2018 using multi-temporal satellite data

Abstract

Snow is known to be very important resource to a nation in various sectors. Most importantly, melting snow acts a major source of freshwater for the recharge of springs, aquifers, and rivers from which the whole population of a country benefits through drinking water and domestic and industrial water sources. Snow attracts tourists who enjoy skiing or snowboarding in winter thereby boosting the local economy. It also serves as a hiding place from predators for small mammals in winter, it affects reproduction cycle of many animals including insects, and it aids in seed germination of crops and plants thus having major effects on the forest and agricultural sectors. In Lebanon, changes in the hydrological regime due to changes in snowmelt and snowfall patterns can influence national economy and livelihood of the people. Information about temporal and spatial distribution of snow cover is essential for monitoring seasonal variations and trends in snow cover. Such monitoring is also important to investigate the effect on different environmental phenomena such as pest outbreaks in Cedar forests. Accordingly, this study aimed at investigating the spatio-temporal variation of snow cover between years 2000 and 2018. The specific objectives were: 1. Build daily Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI) database using MODIS satellite image data. 2. Estimate daily extent of snow cover 3. Analyze seasonal variability and trends in snow cover. 4. Investigate the effect of snow cover on pest outbreaks in the Lebanese cedar forest of Tannourine-Hadath Al Jebbeh. It is worth mentioning that this study is characterized by monitoring snow cover on a daily basis using data acquired for over 17 years (the longest period investigated until present). Accordingly, the results of the study are expected to serve as essential information for use in future policy development initiatives.