Changes in snow cover occurrence in five central european stations during the second half of the 20th century

Abstract

[EN]Changes in snow cover occurrence in central Europe during the second half of the 20th century were investigated. Five stations were taken into consideration. Most of the stations represent central European lowlands and one is placed in the Alpine foreland. Data concerning daily snow cover depth from winters 1950/51-1999/2000 was used. Linear trends show negative changes in the number of days with snow cover in all lowland stations. Trends are statistically significant at the 0.05 level only in two stations (Hamburg and Giessen), where absolute changes reach about -4 days per 10 years. Weak positive changes were found in the Alpine foreland. Changes in the maximum snow cover depth were analysed at the same way and again, negative tendencies were found in lowland stations, statistically significant only in Giessen and Vienna.

[ES]El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar los cambios experimentados por la cobertura nivosa en Europa Central durante la segunda mitad del siglo XX. Se han utilizado series diarias de espesor de la cubierta nivosa de cinco estaciones, la mayoría en tierras bajas de esa región y una en la montaña Alpina. Las tendencias lineales indican cambios negativos en el numero de días con nieve en todas las estaciones de tierras bajas, con significación estadística el 95% solo en dos de ellas (Hamburg and Giessen), con una disminución en torno a 4 dias/decada. En la region Alpina se detecta ligeras tendencias positivas. Igualmente, la evolución del espesor máximo de nieve presenta tendencias negativas significativas únicamente en Huyesen y Viena.