Abstract: Snow is an important part of the cryosphere and one of the most active natural elements on the earth's surface. Its distribution and spatial evolution have important indications and feedbacks to global climate change. Moreover, it is also the main freshwater resources in mountainous area of middle-latitude, and the snowmelt is one of the main replenishments of the surface runoff in the northern hemisphere, therefore the distribution of snow cover has an important influence on the spring snowmelt runoff. Wind blowing snow and drifting snow, as the common natural phenomenon that the wind drives snow particles which are transported to the streamwise direction, is one of the main ways to transport surface snow, as well as the critical driving force of snow redistribution in mountainous area. Wind blowing snow involves the interaction between the atmospheric turbulent boundary layer and snow particles. It has the characteristics of multi-phase flow, multi-field coupling and multi-scale effecting, which is a very complex dynamic process, including many scientific hotspots and difficult problems. Starting from the snow mass-energy balance equation, this paper introduces the research progress of the various physical processes of wind-blown snow, including the preferential deposition of snow, wind blowing snow and its sublimation on the snow mass-energy balance process, and its application in hydrology in cold regions. Current problems and future development trends in snow hydrology research in China are discussed, for readers’ reference.