Earth’s Cryosphere, 2009, Vol. XIII, No. 1, p. 65-72

CHANGES OF SNOW RESERVES OF MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS BY THE EXAMPLE OF NORTHERN PART OF CORDILLERAS

L.M. Kitaev, N.A. Volodicheva*

Institute of Geography RAS, 119017, Moscow, Staromonetniy per., 29, Russia, lkitaev@online.ru
*Lomonosov Moscow State University, Department of Geography, 119992, Moscow, Leninskye Gory, Russia

Particularities of temporal and spatial changes of a snow reserves and their monthly increments over mountain and foothill areas of northern part of Cordilleras (in the Canadian frontiers) are estimated depending on the regional altitudes and the peculiarities of the atmospheric patterns. Tendencies of changes of extreme values of snow reserves are revealed. In order to illustrate the distinctions in snow accumulation due to the features of atmospheric patterns, the results are added with the comparative examination of variability of snow over Cordilleras, the Big Caucasus and TienShan.

Key words: Snow reserves and its monthly increments, atmospheric patterns, spatial variability, tendencies of longterm changes, extreme snow reserves.