Multi-sectorial impacts of Mediterranean snow droughts on mountain socio-ecohydrology

Multi-sectorial impacts of Mediterranean snow droughts on mountain socio-ecohydrology | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 23 February 2026 V2 Latest version Share on Multi-sectorial impacts of Mediterranean snow droughts on mountain socio-ecohydrology Authors : Francesco Avanzi 0000-0003-4235-2373 [email protected] , Stefano Terzi 0000-0003-0491-6772 , Mariapina Castelli 0000-0001-6157-9544 , Francesca Munerol , Margherita Andreaggi , Marta Galvagno , Andrea Galletti 0000-0001-6976-4963 , … Show All … , Tessa Maurer 0000-0003-3547-9624 , Christian Massari , Grace Carlson 0000-0001-5987-1300 , Manuela Girotto 0000-0003-2795-2063 , Giacomo Bertoldi 0000-0003-0397-8103 , Edoardo Cremonese , simone gabellani , Umberto Morra di Cella , Marco Altamura , Lauro Rossi , and Luca Ferraris Show Fewer Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176055865.50800695/v2 884 views 238 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Snow droughts, defined as periods with below-normal Snow Water Equivalent, have recently received substantial attention as an emerging hazard in a warming world, but their impacts are still poorly understood. Here, we shed light on these impacts across the socio-ecohydrologic spectrum, by leveraging heterogeneous data sources from 38 catchments in Italy: 13 years of snow and runoff data, remote-sensing and in-situ measurements of Gross Primary Production, an inventory of emergency water restrictions obtained via a web-scraping tool and direct consultation of national to local regulations, and a survey among 113 mountain huts. We found that the majority of snow droughts in our sample were warm-dry (53%), that is, the combination of higher-than-usual temperatures and low precipitation, followed by warm-wet snow droughts (22%). These events led to up to –50% duration of the snow season at all elevations, up to ~100% more melt-out events compared to non-snow-drought years, approximately -50% summer runoff, and a decline in runoff ratio (-13%). Notably, growing-season Gross Primary Production of vegetation after a snow drought was up to 10% higher than after a non-snow-drought winter, particularly above 1500 m, which ground-based data suggest was due to an earlier meltout of snow leading to an earlier-than-usual greening date. By focusing on the recent 2022 and 2023 snow droughts, we also found that water-supply restrictions were issued at all elevations, but particularly across foothills rather than floodplain regions. Meanwhile, about 70% of hut managers at elevations above 2000 m reported water-supply impacts, with 28% of them even reporting earlier closing dates. Overall, snow droughts emerge as a deeply multi-sectorial and multi-elevation risk, interconnecting the cryosphere with hydrology, ecology, and society. Supplementary Material File (snow_socioecohydrology_2025_hess.pdf) Download 16.22 MB File (snow_socioecohydrology_2025_si_hess.pdf) Download 58.14 KB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 15 October 2025 V2 Version 2 23 February 2026 Copyright This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License Keywords ecology hydrology impacts italy snow drought socio-hydrology Authors Affiliations Francesco Avanzi 0000-0003-4235-2373 [email protected] Fondazione CIMA View all articles by this author Stefano Terzi 0000-0003-0491-6772 European Academy of Bozen View all articles by this author Mariapina Castelli 0000-0001-6157-9544 Eurac research View all articles by this author Francesca Munerol Fondazione CIMA View all articles by this author Margherita Andreaggi CIMA Research Foundation View all articles by this author Marta Galvagno Environmental Protection Agency of Aosta Valley View all articles by this author Andrea Galletti 0000-0001-6976-4963 Eurac Research View all articles by this author Tessa Maurer 0000-0003-3547-9624 Blue Forest Conservation View all articles by this author Christian Massari Istituto di Ricerca per la Protezione Idrogeologica Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche View all articles by this author Grace Carlson 0000-0001-5987-1300 University of California, Berkeley View all articles by this author Manuela Girotto 0000-0003-2795-2063 University of California, Berkeley View all articles by this author Giacomo Bertoldi 0000-0003-0397-8103 EURAC research View all articles by this author Edoardo Cremonese CIMA Research Foundation View all articles by this author simone gabellani CIMA Research Foundation View all articles by this author Umberto Morra di Cella Fondazione CIMA View all articles by this author Marco Altamura Fondazione CIMA View all articles by this author Lauro Rossi CIMA Research Foundation View all articles by this author Luca Ferraris CIMA Research Foundation View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 884 views 238 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Francesco Avanzi, Stefano Terzi, Mariapina Castelli, et al. Multi-sectorial impacts of Mediterranean snow droughts on mountain socio-ecohydrology. Authorea . 23 February 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176055865.50800695/v2 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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