In this paper

we evaluate the capability of a mass and energy balance computer modelsnow thermal model （SNTHERM.89） by simulating the snow properties with experimental data measured at Binggou basin

Gansu Province

China

2008. We also compare the simulated snow water equivalence （SWE） with the product from the advanced microwave scanning radiometer （AMSR-E）.The results show that SNTHERM model could accurately predict the snow evolution process and snow properties at Binggou

and reasonably describe the characteristics of snow evolution

indicating that SNTHERM applied at Binggou successfully. In addition

we conduct the sensitivity analysis of snow properties to the meteorological forcing data and initial input parameters. It has been found that the solar radiation energy flux is the most sensitive parameter to the snow properties simulated by SNTHERM

such as the snow depth

density and the grain size. The snow properties are sensitive to their respective perturbation

while the snow density is sensitive to all the other properties. Hence

in the case that snow density need to predict accurately

or SWE assimilation work is conducting

the initial snow depth

density and grain size should be accurate.