In a number of cases the more precise results may be achieved through taking into account the peculiarities of snow accumulation in various forest stands. Information about snow cover in forests of Russia and some neighboring countries was collected briefly in Table 5. Due to snow retention on trees, the snow can be variable even over small drainage basins covered by forest. Such a data were obtained by landscape-based snow survey which runs across the landscapes of a study area.

Table 5. Local snow accumulation coefficient in forests of Russia and Bjelorussia

By Shutov V.A. (1994) The distribution of water storage in snow cover in drainage basins of forest zone. - Meteorol. and Hydrol., 9, 85-92 (in Russian)

Snow water equivalent under forest canopy is described through the ratio of "forest-open land" corrective factor K_f. Based upon observation in European part of Russia, we found K_f values increasing southwards. This corresponds to the climate conditions, especially to intensity and frequency of "episodic" snowmelt in winter. As it is obvious, the latter is differ on a field and under trees due to differences in solar radiation income. Thus, the differences in snow cover occurred between a forest and an open area affect both from snow retention on tree crowns and from solar radiation income. From this, the correlation ensues between snow accumulation, density and age of the forest. It defines a snow retention capacity of trees.

Presented matters are probably useful to examine the hydrological efficiency of forest planting and recovering as well as to estimate the climatic influences of snow cover in forest zone. It is of interest, that the forest "islands" within grassland plains are the most capacious pitfalls for blown snow. This is well illustrated by survey data in West Siberian plains with birch groves locally called "kolok" where the above snow accumulation coefficient K_f is, as was obtained, about 2.5 times more than in a field even by 30% of forested area.

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