See attached pdf. 

The authors present a comprehensive and well-executed evaluation of regional climate features—such as snow accumulation, surface air temperature (SAT), sea surface temperature (SST), and the ENSO index—that influence surface mass balance (SMB) over Antarctica. The comparison across multiple PMIP past1000 models and CESM-LME, alongside proxy reconstructions, is thorough and highlights important mismatches between models and observations. A key takeaway is that no single model performs consistently well across all variables, and even the best-performing model (CESM-LME) only marginally outperforms others in projecting future SMB increases. 

Overall, the manuscript is well written, and I don't have any major concerns.

Minor comment:



I believe the manuscript would benefit from a clearer articulation of the scientific implications of its findings. While the motivation to understand SMB variability is well established in the introduction, the discussion section could more explicitly address how the model evaluation enhances our understanding of SMB and its relevance for future sea level projections. For instance, the abstract notes that CESM-LME predicts higher SMB by 2100, but the implications of this projection are not explored. To what extent does an increase in SMB contribute to sea level rise? These are critical questions that would help contextualize the study’s broader significance. Based on the title of the paper, I was expecting a stronger emphasis on these implications. At present, the manuscript is heavily focused on model evaluation (which is good), but the connection to the larger scientific or societal relevance—particularly in the context of sea level rise—is underdeveloped.

Line 361–363: Not sure if the statement “all models generally agree” is true here. For example, CESM-LME shows no change in coastal East Antarctica, while other models show notable anomalies. Consider softening this claim.

Line 372–373: Again, all models mostly agree for West Antarctica, but not for East Antarctica.

Line 378: Consider removing the parentheses around “Bellingshausen and Weddell Seas”.

Line 381: “.......changes in the West Antarctica” 

Line 381–384: This point appears to repeat content from lines 362–363. 

Section 5.3: I think much of this section could be moved to results.