{"id":475372,"date":"2026-09-30T11:46:06","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T18:46:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=475372"},"modified":"2026-09-30T11:46:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T18:46:09","slug":"overlooked-lakes-amplify-northern-hemisphere-cooling-through-stronger-ice-albedo-effect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=475372","title":{"rendered":"Overlooked Lakes Amplify Northern Hemisphere Cooling Through Stronger Ice Albedo Effect"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"485\" data-attachment-id=\"475373\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=475373\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0-Overlooked-Lakes-Amplify-Northern-Hemisphere-Cooling-Through-Stronger-Ice-Albedo-Effect.jpg?fit=1168%2C784&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1168,784\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;\\u00fe&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Signature: 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&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"0 Overlooked Lakes Amplify Northern Hemisphere Cooling Through Stronger Ice Albedo Effect\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Signature: 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&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0-Overlooked-Lakes-Amplify-Northern-Hemisphere-Cooling-Through-Stronger-Ice-Albedo-Effect.jpg?fit=723%2C485&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0-Overlooked-Lakes-Amplify-Northern-Hemisphere-Cooling-Through-Stronger-Ice-Albedo-Effect-1024x687.jpg?resize=723%2C485&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A serene winter landscape featuring a frozen lake surrounded by snow-covered trees, with rolling hills in the background and a bright sun illuminating the scene.\" class=\"wp-image-475373\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0-Overlooked-Lakes-Amplify-Northern-Hemisphere-Cooling-Through-Stronger-Ice-Albedo-Effect.jpg?resize=1024%2C687&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0-Overlooked-Lakes-Amplify-Northern-Hemisphere-Cooling-Through-Stronger-Ice-Albedo-Effect.jpg?resize=300%2C201&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0-Overlooked-Lakes-Amplify-Northern-Hemisphere-Cooling-Through-Stronger-Ice-Albedo-Effect.jpg?resize=768%2C516&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0-Overlooked-Lakes-Amplify-Northern-Hemisphere-Cooling-Through-Stronger-Ice-Albedo-Effect.jpg?resize=640%2C430&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0-Overlooked-Lakes-Amplify-Northern-Hemisphere-Cooling-Through-Stronger-Ice-Albedo-Effect.jpg?w=1168&amp;ssl=1 1168w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">AI generated by Grok<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A recent study shows that seasonally ice- covered lakes in the Northern Hemisphere contribute disproportionately to cooling via a stronger cryosphere radiative effect (higher albedo) than surrounding land, an effect that has been underappreciated in climate models.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Published in <em>Geophysical Research Letters<\/em> on September 28, 2026), the paper by Cooley, Webb, Levenson, and Ryan quantifies lakes\u2019 influence on the<strong> terrestrial Cryosphere Radiative Effect (CrRE\u209c)<\/strong>, the cooling from high- albedo snow and ice reflecting sunlight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using 22 years of satellite data, the authors find:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Per unit area, lakes have a significantly higher CrRE\u209c than land (-14.4 vs. -8.2 W\/m\u00b2).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Although lakes cover only about 3.7% of the study domain, they account for 6.3% of the total Northern Hemisphere CrRE\u209c.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Their contribution is larger still in late spring and in the Boreal Forest, where lakes can supply more than 25% of local CrRE\u209c.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lakes\u2019 stronger effect stems from two main factors: snow melts earlier on land (reducing land albedo sooner), while snow- and ice- covered lakes maintain a higher albedo increase relative to the surrounding landscape. The authors conclude that climate models should explicitly include lake CrRE\u209c processes, highlighting a previously understudied way lakes help moderate Northern Hemisphere temperatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This aligns with the Phys.org framing by Hannah Bird (a science journalist covering Earth and environmental topics for the site): <strong>\u201coverlooked\u201d <\/strong>lakes act as an under- recognized cooling influence through their ice and snow cover. The finding does not reverse overall warming trends but shows lakes amplify local and regional cooling relative to land via albedo, especially where seasonal ice is common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"556\" data-attachment-id=\"475381\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=475381\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-178.png?fit=2128%2C1637&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2128,1637\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-178.png?fit=723%2C556&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-178.png?resize=723%2C556&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Map showing lake contribution to carbon release factors (%) across North America and Eurasia.\" class=\"wp-image-475381\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-178.png?resize=1024%2C788&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-178.png?resize=300%2C231&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-178.png?resize=768%2C591&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-178.png?resize=1536%2C1182&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-178.png?resize=2048%2C1575&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-178.png?resize=640%2C492&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-178.png?w=1446&amp;ssl=1 1446w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Maps of lake contribution to cryosphere radiative effect (a) compared to nearby land (b) snow-off timing (c) and seasonal albedo contrast (d). Positive values indicate later snow-off timing and\/or greater seasonal albedo contrast. Credit: Cooley et al, 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Terrestrial Cryosphere Radiative Effect (CrRE\u209c or terrestrial CrRE) is the cooling influence that snow and ice cover on land (and lakes) exert on Earth\u2019s energy budget by reflecting incoming solar (shortwave) radiation back to space.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Definition<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is the instantaneous effect of surface snow and ice on the top- of- atmosphere (or top-of-model) solar energy budget. In other words, it quantifies how much less solar radiation the Earth system absorbs because of the high albedo of snow and ice compared with a snow- and ice- free surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Negative values indicate a cooling effect (more sunlight reflected \u2192 less energy absorbed).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is analogous to the well- known cloud radiative effect, but applied specifically to the cryosphere (the frozen parts of the Earth system).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Longwave (thermal infrared) effects are typically excluded; the metric focuses on shortwave reflection.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key Influences<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CrRE is shaped by more than just the presence of snow and ice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Seasonal cycle of incoming solar radiation (insolation)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cloud cover (which can mask the surface albedo effect)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Vegetation cover (which can hide snow)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Properties of the snow\/ice itself and the underlying surface<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Timing of snowmelt<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Terrestrial vs. Broader CrRE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Terrestrial CrRE (CrRE\u209c) focuses on land and lakes (seasonal snow, lake ice, etc.). Ice sheets and glaciers are often treated separately (though snow on them may be included).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Full CrRE usually also includes marine contributions from sea ice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Relevance in Recent Research<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the 2026 study by Cooley et al. (Geophysical Research Letters), the authors specifically examined the Northern Hemisphere terrestrial CrRE and showed that lakes have a disproportionately strong effect:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Lakes:<\/strong> about -14.4 W\/m\u00b2 (per unit area)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Land:<\/strong> about -8.2 W\/m\u00b2<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Even though lakes cover only ~3.7% of the domain, they contribute ~6.3% of the total Northern Hemisphere terrestrial CrRE (and &gt;25% in parts of the Boreal Forest, especially in late spring). <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This stronger lake contribution arises because snow tends to melt earlier on land, while snow- and ice-covered lakes maintain higher albedo for longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>In short<\/strong>, terrestrial CrRE is a quantitative measure of how snow and ice on land (and lakes) help keep the planet cooler by boosting reflectivity. It is considered a more climate- relevant metric than simple snow or ice extent alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"525\" data-attachment-id=\"475409\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=475409\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-179.png?fit=900%2C654&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"900,654\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-179.png?fit=723%2C525&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-179.png?resize=723%2C525&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Diagram illustrating the interactions of solar radiation, infrared radiation, and their effects on ice production, ocean heat transport, and atmospheric circulation. Key components include clouds, surface albedo, ice shelf melting, and water vapor.\" class=\"wp-image-475409\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-179.png?w=900&amp;ssl=1 900w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-179.png?resize=300%2C218&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-179.png?resize=768%2C558&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-179.png?resize=640%2C465&amp;ssl=1 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Major climate feedback operating in polar regions. Plus \/ minus signs mean that the feedback is positive \/ negative. Yellow and red arrows show solar shortwave and infrared radiation fluxes, respectively. Orange arrows show the flux exchanges between the different components of the climate system (ocean, atmosphere, ice) for several feedback. TOA refers to \u2018top of the atmosphere\u2019 [Credit: Fig 1 from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-018-04173-0\">Goosse et al. (2018)<\/a>]. <br><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.egu.eu\/divisions\/cr\/2018\/07\/06\/image-of-the-week-climate-feedbacks-demystified-in-polar-regions\/\">Cryospheric Sciences | Image of the Week \u2013 Climate feedbacks demystified in polar regions<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Ice- albedo feedback<\/strong> is a powerful positive climate feedback loop in which melting ice and snow amplify warming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How it works<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>High albedo of ice and snow<\/strong><br>Fresh snow and ice are highly reflective (albedo typically 0.5- 0.9). They bounce a large fraction of incoming solar radiation back to space, helping keep the surface cool.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Warming causes melting<\/strong><br>Rising temperatures (from greenhouse gases or other forcings) melt some of the ice or snow.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lower albedo surfaces are exposed<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Over ocean:<\/strong> dark open water (albedo ~0.06) replaces bright sea ice.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Over land:<\/strong> darker soil, rock, or vegetation replaces snow.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>On lakes:<\/strong> open water or thinner\/darker ice replaces highly reflective snow-covered ice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>More solar energy is absorbed<\/strong><br>The darker surface absorbs more sunlight, converting it into heat.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Further warming and melting<\/strong><br>The extra heat raises local (and eventually regional) temperatures, causing even more ice and snow to melt. This reinforces the cycle.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because each step strengthens the original change, it is called a <strong>positive feedback.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why it matters<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is one of the main reasons the Arctic is warming roughly 2- 4 times faster than the global average (Arctic amplification).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It accelerates the loss of sea ice, glaciers, ice sheets, and seasonal snow cover.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It also operates on lakes: as lake ice shortens or becomes less reflective, lakes absorb more heat, which can further reduce ice cover the following season and influence local climate (as highlighted in recent studies of terrestrial cryosphere radiative effects).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Simple analogy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Imagine a white reflective tent on a sunny day (cool inside) versus a black tarp (hot inside). Melting ice is like gradually replacing the white tent with black material, the surface heats up faster and faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>In short,<\/strong> ice- albedo feedback turns an initial warming into a self- reinforcing process that speeds up cryosphere loss and regional temperature rise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Lakes Modify the Magnitude and Timing of the Northern Hemisphere Terrestrial Cryosphere Radiative Effect<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Key Points (from the journal)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The study quantifies the contribution of lakes to the Northern Hemisphere terrestrial Cryosphere Radiative Effect (CrRE\u209c).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lakes have a much stronger CrRE than nearby land, particularly in the Boreal Forest.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lakes\u2019 higher CrRE is caused by earlier snowmelt on land and lakes\u2019 greater increase in albedo when snow- covered.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Abstract and Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vast areas of Earth\u2019s Northern Hemisphere are covered in lakes that form seasonal ice cover, yet their influence on the terrestrial Cryosphere Radiative Effect (CrRE\u209c) had not previously been quantified. Using 22 years of satellite data (roughly 2001- 2022), the authors constrain lakes\u2019 contribution to CrRE\u209c.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Main findings:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Per unit area, lakes have a significantly higher CrRE\u209c than land (-14.4 vs. -8.2 W\/m\u00b2).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Although lakes cover only 3.7% of the study domain, they contribute 6.3% of total Northern Hemisphere CrRE\u209c.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The lake contribution is even larger in late spring and in the Boreal Forest, where lakes can account for more than 25% of local CrRE\u209c.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The stronger lake effect results from (1) earlier snowmelt on land (which lowers land albedo sooner) and (2) lakes\u2019 comparatively greater albedo increase while snow- or ice- covered.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The authors conclude that climate models should include lake CrRE\u209c processes and highlight this previously understudied cooling influence of lakes on Northern Hemisphere climate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A related dataset (gridded results and time series) is available on Zenodo, associated with the submitted and accepted version of the paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the study underlying the Phys.org piece titled<em> \u201cOverlooked lakes may be helping to keep the Northern Hemisphere cool.\u201d<\/em> The paper is open access on the AGU site (Wiley Online Library).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Journal information:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/phys.org\/journals\/geophysical-research-letters\/\">Geophysical Research Letters<\/a>, Volume 53, Issue 18, 28 September 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>DOI:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1029\/2026gl124236\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">10.1029\/2026gl124236<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Authors:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/authored-by\/Cooley\/Sarah+W.\">Sarah W. Cooley<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/authored-by\/Cooley\/Sarah+W.\"><\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/authored-by\/Webb\/Elizabeth+E.\">Elizabeth E. Webb<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/authored-by\/Levenson\/Eric+S.\">Eric S. Levenson<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/authored-by\/Ryan\/Jonathan+C.\">Jonathan C. Ryan<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Abstract<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vast areas of Earth&#8217;s Northern Hemisphere are covered in lakes that form seasonal ice cover, yet their influence on the terrestrial Cryosphere Radiative Effect (CrRE<sub>t<\/sub>) has not previously been quantified. Here we use 22&nbsp;years of satellite data to constrain the contribution of lakes to CrRE<sub>t<\/sub>. We find that, per unit area, lakes have a significantly higher CrRE<sub>t<\/sub> than land (\u221214.4 vs. \u22128.2&nbsp;W\/m<sup>2<\/sup>). Therefore, even though lakes cover 3.7% of our study domain, lakes contribute 6.3% of Northern Hemisphere CrRE<sub>t<\/sub>. Lake contribution to CrRE<sub>t<\/sub> is even greater in late spring as well as in the Boreal Forest where lakes can contribute more than 25% of CrRE<sub>t<\/sub>. Lakes&#8217; higher CrRE<sub>t<\/sub> results from both earlier snowmelt on land and lakes&#8217; comparatively greater increase in albedo while snow-covered. Overall, our analysis advocates for the inclusion of lake CrRE<sub>t<\/sub> processes in climate models and highlights a previously understudied impact of lakes on climate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A recent study shows that seasonally ice- covered lakes in the Northern Hemisphere contribute disproportionately to cooling via a stronger cryosphere radiative effect (higher albedo) than surrounding land, an effect that has been underappreciated in climate models.<\/p>\n<p>Terrestrial Cryosphere Radiative Effect (CrRE\u209c or terrestrial CrRE) is the cooling influence that snow and ice cover on land (and lakes) exert on Earth\u2019s energy budget by reflecting incoming solar (shortwave) radiation back to space.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":475373,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"Discover how seasonal ice-covered lakes significantly enhance cooling in the Northern Hemisphere through the cryosphere radiative effect.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"How Lakes Cool the Northern Hemisphere: The Albedo Effect","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691818153,691845868,691845164,691845867,691845869,691818872,691845870,691845866],"class_list":["post-475372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-climate-models","tag-cryosphere-radiative-effect-higher-albedo","tag-ice-albedo-feedback","tag-ice-covered-lakes","tag-incoming-solar-shortwave-radiation","tag-northern-hemisphere","tag-terrestrial-crre-crre","tag-terrestrial-cryosphere-radiative-effect-crre-or-terrestrial-crre","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1ZFi","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":373039,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=373039","url_meta":{"origin":475372,"position":0},"title":"Scientists \u2018Unexpectedly\u2019 Find The Declining Sea Ice Trend Since 1980 Has Radiatively Cooled The Earth","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"04\/01\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The alarmist narrative that says disappearing sea ice serves to enhance and worsen global warming may now be discarded.","rel":"","context":"In \"Antarctica\"","block_context":{"text":"Antarctica","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=antarctica"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0watkins_mosaic_lead_and_ridge_0.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0watkins_mosaic_lead_and_ridge_0.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0watkins_mosaic_lead_and_ridge_0.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0watkins_mosaic_lead_and_ridge_0.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0watkins_mosaic_lead_and_ridge_0.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":448691,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=448691","url_meta":{"origin":475372,"position":1},"title":"Earth\u2019s Hidden East-West Mirror: A Surprising New Albedo Symmetry","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"06\/05\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The analysis of Earth\u2019s east\u2013west albedo symmetry reveals a remarkably organized, dynamically maintained feature of the climate system that offers fresh constraints on models and raises intriguing questions about self-regulation.","rel":"","context":"In \"\"triple symmetry\"\"","block_context":{"text":"\"triple symmetry\"","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=triple-symmetry"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0-Earths-Hidden-East-West-Mirror-A-Surprising-New-Albedo-Symmetry.jpg?fit=1168%2C784&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0-Earths-Hidden-East-West-Mirror-A-Surprising-New-Albedo-Symmetry.jpg?fit=1168%2C784&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0-Earths-Hidden-East-West-Mirror-A-Surprising-New-Albedo-Symmetry.jpg?fit=1168%2C784&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0-Earths-Hidden-East-West-Mirror-A-Surprising-New-Albedo-Symmetry.jpg?fit=1168%2C784&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/0-Earths-Hidden-East-West-Mirror-A-Surprising-New-Albedo-Symmetry.jpg?fit=1168%2C784&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":384955,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=384955","url_meta":{"origin":475372,"position":2},"title":"Climate Oscillations 3: Northern Hemisphere Sea Ice Area","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"06\/25\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Northern Hemisphere sea ice area is an important climatic indicator because it determines how much of the Arctic Ocean and surrounding seas are open to the atmosphere. Ice is a good insulator and traps heat in the water below it (Peixoto & Oort, 1992, p. 361). Ice is also a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Arctic Oscillation (AO)\"","block_context":{"text":"Arctic Oscillation (AO)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=arctic-oscillation-ao"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0Screenshot-2025-06-25-140141.png?fit=1200%2C766&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0Screenshot-2025-06-25-140141.png?fit=1200%2C766&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0Screenshot-2025-06-25-140141.png?fit=1200%2C766&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0Screenshot-2025-06-25-140141.png?fit=1200%2C766&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/0Screenshot-2025-06-25-140141.png?fit=1200%2C766&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":459194,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=459194","url_meta":{"origin":475372,"position":3},"title":"Volcanoes, Not Just Chance: Explosive Eruptions Drove Centuries of Holocene Cooling and Glacial Advances","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"07\/30\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Custers of large volcanic eruptions\u2014particularly in the Pacific Ring of Fire (which includes many subduction-zone volcanoes around the Pacific)\u2014have been linked in scientific studies to periods of sustained global or hemispheric cooling lasting decades to centuries. This occurs mainly through injection of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, forming reflective sulfate\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"aerosol cooling\"","block_context":{"text":"aerosol cooling","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=aerosol-cooling"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0-Volcanoes-Not-Just-Chance-Explosive-Eruptions-Drove-Centuries-of-Holocene-Cooling-and-Glacial-Advances.jpg?fit=1168%2C784&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0-Volcanoes-Not-Just-Chance-Explosive-Eruptions-Drove-Centuries-of-Holocene-Cooling-and-Glacial-Advances.jpg?fit=1168%2C784&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0-Volcanoes-Not-Just-Chance-Explosive-Eruptions-Drove-Centuries-of-Holocene-Cooling-and-Glacial-Advances.jpg?fit=1168%2C784&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0-Volcanoes-Not-Just-Chance-Explosive-Eruptions-Drove-Centuries-of-Holocene-Cooling-and-Glacial-Advances.jpg?fit=1168%2C784&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0-Volcanoes-Not-Just-Chance-Explosive-Eruptions-Drove-Centuries-of-Holocene-Cooling-and-Glacial-Advances.jpg?fit=1168%2C784&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":306163,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=306163","url_meta":{"origin":475372,"position":4},"title":"The Continuing Albedo Change Warms the Earth More Than Twice as Much as CO2","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"03\/06\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The Earth\u2019s reflectivity is measured by\u00a0albedo\u00a0(a latin word meaning \u2018whiteness\u2019). Albedo measures the proportion of solar irradiation that is reflected back to space, either by the ground or in the atmosphere.","rel":"","context":"In \"Albedo\"","block_context":{"text":"Albedo","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=albedo"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/00ef932e_e6287be66f6249448cffdaaa7c295fe6mv1.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/00ef932e_e6287be66f6249448cffdaaa7c295fe6mv1.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/00ef932e_e6287be66f6249448cffdaaa7c295fe6mv1.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/00ef932e_e6287be66f6249448cffdaaa7c295fe6mv1.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/00ef932e_e6287be66f6249448cffdaaa7c295fe6mv1.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":342979,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=342979","url_meta":{"origin":475372,"position":5},"title":"Studies That \u2018Confirm\u2019 Humans Cause Climate Rely On Imaginary-World Conditions In Their Calculations","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"09\/14\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"To claim that anthropogenic CO2 emissions drive global warming, radiative forcing modeling studies must assume 1) clouds do not ever change, 2) cloud albedo is constant, and\/or 3) clouds do not exist. None of these are real-world conditions.","rel":"","context":"In \"anthropogenic CO2\"","block_context":{"text":"anthropogenic CO2","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=anthropogenic-co2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/0clouds-hd.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/0clouds-hd.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/0clouds-hd.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/0clouds-hd.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/0clouds-hd.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0-Overlooked-Lakes-Amplify-Northern-Hemisphere-Cooling-Through-Stronger-Ice-Albedo-Effect.jpg?fit=1168%2C784&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475372","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=475372"}],"version-history":[{"count":39,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475372\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":475422,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/475372\/revisions\/475422"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/475373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=475372"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=475372"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=475372"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}