Snow and ice completely change the interaction of land cover with the atmosphere as opposed to snow-free surfaces. At the same time, water stored in the snow pack and in glaciers represents an important component of the hydrological balance in many regions of the world. Snow is the main source of most ice masses, a key process characterized by complex metamorphisms, energy exchanges, and mechanical compaction. Monitoring and modeling snow/ice accumulation and melt is often particularly difficult because of limited availability and large spatial variability of hydrological and weather data as well as limited process understanding. The objective of this session is to integrate specialists focusing on snow within the context of catchment hydrology, snow as a land surface, snow-vegetation interaction and snow as a source for glacier ice, hence streamflow. The aim is to integrate and share knowledge and experiences about experimental research, remote sensing and modelling.

Specifically, contributions addressing the following topics are welcome:
- results of experimental research on snow properties and processes and their potential for an implementation in hydrologic catchment, glacier and land-surface models;
- development of novel strategies for snow modeling at the catchment scale, including for example point snow dynamics models, distributed snow hydrology models, and snow modules of more complex catchment models.
- experimental research and innovative modelling approaches addressing the effect of vegetation on snow energetics, properties and distribution;
- evaluation of different remote sensing technologies and classification approaches focusing e.g. on snow cover, albedo, snow depth and snow water equivalent mapping;
- snow data assimilation for different models and from multiple sources;
- practical implementation of snow data in operational hydrological and weather forecast modelling.
- Studies on cryosphere-influenced mountain hydrology are also welcome. Examples include investigations of landforms at high elevation and their relationship with streamflow, water balance of snow/ice dominated, high mountain regions, etc.