Climate change impacts and vulnerability in Europe 2016

Changes in the climate system
Figure 3.14
Trend in snow cover extent over the northern hemisphere and Europe
Trend in snow cover extent over the northern hemisphere
Snow cover extent anomaly (million square km)
Trend in snow cover extent in Europe
Snow cover extent anomaly (thousand square km)
5
900
4
750
3
600
2
450
1
300
0
150
– 1
0
– 2
– 150
– 3
– 300
– 4
– 450
– 5
– 600
– 6
– 750
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
March–April (pre-satellite)
March–April (satellite)
March–April (13-year average)
March–April (linear trend)
June (satellite)
June (linear trend)
March–April
March–April (13-year average)
March–April (linear trend)
June
June (13-year average)
June (linear trend)
Note:
Source:
This figure shows satellite-derived time series of snow cover extent for the period 1967–2015 over the northern hemisphere (left) and
Europe (right). The time series for the northern hemisphere is extended back to 1922 by including reconstructed historical estimates.
Brown and Robinson, 2011; RUGSL, 2011; Vaughan et al., 2013; Estilow et al., 2015. Data for Europe (EEA-39 region) was calculated and
kindly provided by the Rutgers University Global Snow Lab, based on RUGSL, 2011.
Figure 3.15
Trend in March snow mass in Europe (excluding mountain regions)
March snow mass anomaly (%)
50
40
30
20
10
0
– 10
– 20
– 30
– 40
– 50
– 60
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
Note: This figure shows the satellite-derived anomaly in March snow mass in Europe for the period 1980–2015 relative to the 1980–2012
average.
Source: GlobSnow, updated from Luojus et al., 2011.
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