Recent waning snowpack in the Alps is unprecedented in the last six centuries

Abstract Snow cover in high-latitude and high-altitude regions has strong effects on the Earth’s climate, environmental processes socio-economic activities. Over last 50 years, Alps experienced a 5.6% reduction per decade snow duration, which already affects region where economy culture revolve, to large extent, around winter. Here we present evidence from 572 ring-width series extracted prostrate shrub ( Juniperus communis L.) growing at high elevation Val Ventina, Italy. These records show that duration of current snowpack is 36 days shorter than long-term mean, decline unprecedented over six centuries. findings highlight urgent need develop adaptation strategies for some most sensitive sectors this region.