The sensitivity of snow hydrology to changes in air temperature and precipitation in three North American headwater basins

•The precipitation increase can offset the impact of warming on mountain snow hydrology.•The offsetting role of precipitation is effective at the high elevations and high latitudes.•The projected precipitation elasticity of annual runoff increases as latitude decreases.•The projected precipitation elasticity of peak snowpack increases as latitude increases.•Elasticities indicated that runoff changes are primarily attributed to precipitation change.