Snow storage in forests and fields on plain territories of Russia under modern climate
A.V. Sosnovsky, N.I. Osokin
Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
Keywords: snow storage, field, forest, climatic periods
Abstract
Climate change affects the parameters of snow cover, including the distribution of snow storage on plain territories under forests and in fields. A comparison of the average long-term maximum snow storage in forests and fields for different climatic periods is carried out. The average value of snow storage on fields for the current climatic period (1991-2020) increased by 4 % compared to the period 1966-1990; in forests, it decreased by 6 %. Average snow storage in forests and fields in 2001-2010 amounted to 127 and 123 mm; in 2011-2020, it decreased to 121 and 120 mm, respectively. The ratio of snow storage in forests to its value in fields - the snow accumulation coefficient - for 1966-1990, 1981-2010, and 1991-2020 has been constantly decreasing and amounted to 1.16, 1.08 and 1.05, respectively. Maps of the distribution of snow storage and the coefficient of snow accumulation within plain territories of Russia for different climatic periods have been constructed. The tendency of leveling the maximum snow storage in forests and fields under the modern climate (1991-2020) has been confirmed.
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