Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
5779376 Cold Regions Science and Technology 2017 29 Pages PDF
Abstract
This study evaluated variabilities and trends in annual snowfall to total precipitation (S/P) ratio at Sodankylä, Kajaani and Kaisaniemi weather stations in northern, central and southern Finland during 1909-2008. Annual S/P ratio was estimated using daily precipitation and temperature records as input to a calibrated and validated temperature-index snowmelt model developed to simulate snowpack accumulation and melt processes in Finland. Factors controlling variations in annual S/P ratio and their relationships with large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns (ACPs) were also studied. The results show that there were significant declines in annual S/P ratio during 1909-2008, which were principally attributable to century-long decreasing trends in annual snowfall (S) in Finland. These reductions in annual S were predominantly controlled by both annual rainfall (R) and snowfall-day temperature (ST) in the south, annual ST in the centre, and annual R in the north. However, dividing the 100-year study period into an early (1909-1958) and late (1959-2008) periods revealed non-linear trend behaviours in annual S and consequently annual S/P ratio during 1909-2008. The Arctic Oscillation, East Atlantic, East Atlantic/West Russia and Scandinavia patterns were the most influential ACPs for annual S variability.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Earth and Planetary Sciences Earth and Planetary Sciences (General)
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