In high-altitude regions, such as the Peruvian Andes, understanding the transformation of precipitation types under climate change is critical to the sustainability of water resources and the survival of glaciers. In this study, we investigate the distribution and types of precipitation on a tropical glacier in the Peruvian Central Andes. We utilized data from an optical-laser disdrometer and compact weather station installed at 4709 m ASL, combined with future climate scenarios from the CMIP6 project, to model potential future changes in precipitation types. Our findings highlight that increasing temperatures could lead to significant reductions in solid-phase precipitation, including snow, graupel and hail, with implications for the mass balance of Andean glaciers. For instance, a 2 °C rise might result in less than 10% of precipitation as solid, in regard to the present day, transfor...

Hailstorms, while fascinating from a meteorological perspective, pose significant risks to communities, agriculture, and infrastructure. In regions such as the Central Andes of Peru, the characteristics and frequency of these extreme weather events remain largely uncharted. This study fills this gap by investigating the historical frequency and vertical structure of hailstorms in this region. We analyzed historical hailstorm records dating back to 1958 alongside 4 years of observations (2017–2021) from the Parsivel2 disdrometer and a cloud-profiling radar MIRA35c. Our findings indicate a trend of decreasing hail frequency (−0.5 events per decade). However, the p value of 0.07 suggests the need for further investigation, particularly in relation to environmental changes and reporting methods. The results show that hailstorms predominantly occur during the austral summer months, with p...

Hailstorms, while fascinating from a meteorological perspective, pose significant risks to communities, agriculture, and infrastructure. In regions such as the Central Andes of Peru, the characteristics and frequency of these extreme weather events remain largely uncharted. This study fills this gap by investigating the historical frequency and vertical structure of hailstorms in this region. We analyzed historical hailstorm records dating back to 1958 alongside 4 years of observations (2017-2021) from the Parsivel2 disdrometer and a cloud-profiling radar MIRA35c. Our findings indicate a trend of decreasing hail frequency (-0.5 events per decade). However, the p value of 0.07 suggests the need for further investigation, particularly in relation to environmental changes and reporting methods. The results show that hailstorms predominantly occur during the austral summer months, with peak ...

The present study presents a detailed analysis of the diurnal and monthly cycles the surface boundary layer and of surface energy balance in a sparse natural vegetation canopy on Huancayo observatory (12.04◦ S, 75.32◦ W, 3313 m ASL), which is located in the central Andes of Perú (Mantaro Valley) during an entire year (May 2018–April 2019). We used a set of meteorological sensors (temperature, relative humidity, wind) installed in a gradient tower 30 m high, a set of radiative sensors to measure all irradiance components, and a set of tensiometers and heat flux plate to measure soil moisture, soil temperatures and soil heat flux. To estimate turbulent energy fluxes (sensible and latent), two flux–gradient methods: the aerodynamic method and the Bowen-ratio energy-balance method were used. The ground heat flux at surface was estimated using a molecular heat transfer equation. The ...