Long-term changes in snow cover depth in eastern Europe

Abstract

We investigated changes in snow cover depth in eastern Europe over a period of about 100 yr, analyzing data for 5 stations located on the territory of the former Soviet Union. First we determined the basic characteristics of snow cover occurrence at each station: mean and extreme values of snow cover depth, standard deviation and variability index. Then, trends of changes in the mean monthly snow cover depth were analysed and turning points were identified using a Mann-Kendall test. Snow cover depth has decreased significantly at the 3 easternmost stations (Orenburg, Kirov, Gorkij), but at Kirov snow cover depth has increased again since 1950. At Vilnjus snow cover depth has decreased rapidly since the early 1980s. © Inter-Research 2004.