Interannual consistency in fractal snow depth patterns at two Colorado mountain sites

Fractal dimensions derived from log-log variograms are useful for characterizing spatial structure and scaling behavior in snow depth distributions. This study examines the temporal consistency of snow depth scaling features at two sites using snow depth distributions derived from LiDAR datasets collected in 2003 and 2005. Two distinct fractal regions are observed in each log-log variogram, separated by a scale break which indicates a length scale where a substantial change in the driving processes exists. The datasets show consistent fractal dimensions and scale break distances between years, suggesting that the scaling features observed in spatial snow depth distributions are largely determined by physiography and vegetation characteristics, and are relatively insensitive to annual variations in snowfall. Directional variograms also show consistent patterns between years, with smaller fractal dimensions aligned with the dominant wind direction at each site.