Insignificant change in Antarctic snowmelt volume since 1979

Surface snowmelt is widespread in coastal Antarctica. Satellite‐based microwave sensors have been observing melt area and duration for over three decades. However, these observations do not reveal the total volume of meltwater produced on the ice sheet. Here we present an Antarctic melt volume climatology for the period 1979–2010, obtained using a regional climate model equipped with realistic snow physics. We find that mean continent‐wide meltwater volume (1979–2010) amounts to 89 Gt y−1 with large interannual variability (σ = 41 Gt y−1). Of this amount, 57 Gt y−1 (64%) is produced on the floating ice shelves extending from the grounded ice sheet, and 71 Gt y−1in West‐Antarctica, including the Antarctic Peninsula. We find no statistically significant trend in either continent‐wide or regional meltwater volume for the 31‐year period 1979–2010. Key Points Antarctic meltwater volume has changed insignificantly over the past 30 years Mean Antarctic snowmelt volume is estimated at 89 Gigatonnes per year Other than atmospheric processes likely determine long‐term ice shelf stability