A field study in the Swiss Alps showed considerable spatial and temporal variability in forest air and surface temperatures, with implications for snowmelt models.Warming temperatures in spring herald the melting of snow in mountains and higher-latitude regions. Predicting the timing and speed of snowmelt is important for local communities as they prepare for knock-on effects such as increased river levels or the end of the snow sports season. Spring snowmelt is predominantly influenced by incoming shortwave radiation (the Sun’s heat reaching Earth’s surface) and incoming longwave radiation (heat emitted from Earth’s atmosphere). However, solar and terrestrial radiations are not simple to measure, as they highly vary in space and time, including at a very localized level. Read more.