When I was first intending to create a web-site, I only planned to tell about the snow cover and relevant studies. Then I have written a paper that names here Snow Book. There are a great deal of results, proposals and applications related to the snow cover. But, of a paramount importance is to answer two questions: (1) how much snow is laying annually and would be laid at the next year, and (2) what an impact of the snow cover is (as well as expected to be) on the business areas which are sensitive to climate changes and climate related studies. Both the issues are addressed below.

Earlier I asked the question: what will be beyond 2000?! Further decay or renewal of snowy Christmas? I have asked what do you think about it? By now, after two snowy winters, not only here, but everywhere in Europe and North America, I am sure to be busy of work with snow cover studies. We expect here one more high spring flood. And, what do you expect? Please, reply me and, if you mind, tell me on what do you like to do by snowy days. If you are a Prof., drop me your opinion on the importance of the snow cover for your country and your region, it may be done in the following Table:

SC SD BD WE SE MR MS WC WP SA 1. Weather prediction                     2. Runoff forecasting                     3. Climate assessment                     4. Crop agriculture                     5. Pastoral cattle breading                     6. Soil reclamation                     7. Recreation (skiing)                     8. Water resources management                     9. Forestry (forest planting)                     10. Timber industry                     11. Construction engineering                     12. Road traffic and carriage                     13. Soil protection                     14. Airport maintenance                     15. Water resources protection                     16. Nature reservations                     17. Railway transport                     18. Hydro-power stations                     19. Coal mining and carriage                     20. Pipeline construction                     21. Oil development                     22. Water supplying                     23. Fishery

Appraisal would be in a semi-quantitative form such as 0 - no impact, 1 - influence expressed, 2 - strong effect mainly governing the business area.

Snow cover features are: SC - snow coverage, SD - snow depth, BD - bulk density, WE - water equivalent, SE - snow evaporation, MR - melt rate, MS - mechanical stress, WC - water capacity, WP - water permeability, SA - surface albedo (reflectance of the solar radiation).

Appraisal would be based on your personal experience and analysis of literature sources. The given list should not be considered exhaustive. There may be another range of the items. I think these areas are of particular importance for Russia.

Your response would be kindly appreciated as an investment to continued snow cover studies.


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