Climate models in polar regions have significant biases in predicting sea salt aerosol (SSA) levels and their seasonal variations due to limited knowledge of how sea ice contributes to aerosol production, leading to less accurate climate forecasts at high latitudes. A key source of SSA is blowing snow, which releases particles into the air as it sublimates (turns from solid to gas).

During the MOSAiC Arctic expedition (2019–2020), researchers observed that blowing snow over sea ice significantly increased aerosol levels. These conditions occurred 20–40% of the time from December to April, with 26 events recorded. Strong winds were linked to higher sodium chloride levels in the air, confirming that storms help release SSA from blowing snow.

To improve climate models, Ananth Ranjithkumar et al. updated current model parameterization for blowing snow, adjusting factors like snow size and salt content based on wind speed and snow depth.

Including SSA from blowing snow in climate models will enable a more precise representation of aerosols in polar regions and helps improve climate predictions at high latitudes.