APPRAISAL OF SNOW IN CONTEXT OF TEMPERATURE VARIATIONS IN GILGIT BASIN

Abstract

The study on Appraisal of Snow in Context of Temperature Variations in Gilgit Basin was conducted to find the snow cover change over Gilgit and Hunza Rivers. Hypsometric curve for this catchment was convex upward between normalized area and elevation. Using the MODIS snow cover product classification of snow cover was done which indicate the present of snow in the catchment. Change detection technique indicates there was high level of snow cover area change during the melting period of 2011. This area of snow which melted during melting period of 2011 was 9358.762km2. There was high level of snow cover change detection appeared in the melting period of 2011, 2012 and 2015 along the Gilgit-Hunza Rivers. The minimum snow area change was observed in 2014 during the melting period. During this year snow melting was observed with low level of change detection. Besides there was also low level of snow cover change detection observed in 2013 melting period. There was decreasing trend in snow cover change appeared in this basin.