Title	Snow cover in northern Slovakia; past, present and future
Author	Holko, L.; Kostka, Z.
Author Affil	Holko, L., Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrology, Slovak Republic
Source	Folia Geographica, Series Geographica- Physica, Vol.37-38, p.37-51, . Publisher: Polska Akademia Nauk, Komisja Nauk Geograficznych, Wroclaw, Poland. ISSN: 0071- 6715
Publication Date	2007
Notes	In English. 15 refs. GeoRef Acc. No: 299944
Index Terms	climatic change; human activity; hydrology; runoff; snow; snow cover; snow water equivalent; watersheds; Slovakia--Vah Valley; Central Europe; climate change; climate effects; discharge; Europe; Hron Valley; northern Slovakia; Slovakia; snowpack; Vah Valley
Abstract	The objective of the paper was to look at changes of snow cover in northern Slovakia since the 1960. The study was focused on the variability of snow water equivalent in the upper Vah and the upper Hron river catchments in hydrological years 1962-2001 (with partial extension until 2007). Several sources of information were used--snow depths measured at stations of the standard meteorological network, snow water equivalents simulated for the same 29 stations and snow course data measured at one site in the Western Tatra Mountains. The data pointed out at large variability of snow characteristics in period 1962-2001. There are also differences between the catchments and between mountains and valleys. Consequently, the statement of the snow conditions during particular winter or period should be connected with the area for which it was made. The data did not reveal significant trends in snow water equivalents in the studied period, although the differences between the snow rich and snow poor winters in the studied catchments were more extreme in 1982-2001 than in 1962-1981. Winters after the year 2000 did not reflect global warming. Expected climate change would lead to reduction of snow cover, especially at lower elevation and deterioration of skiing conditions.
Publication Type	journal article
Record ID	64004544