Changes in transitional snowfall season length in northern Eurasia

An earlier study suggested that snow season length over large parts of northern Eurasia has increased due to earlier dates of first snowfall and later dates of last snowfall during 1937–94. In this study, much smaller increases in the length of continuous snow cover have been found over very limited areas of northern Eurasia, while decreases in continuous snow cover have been found over southern Siberia. The transitional snowfall season, defined by the difference between the first (last) snowfall date and the first (last) date of continuous ground snow cover, showed significant increases over much of Siberia. The increase in spring transitional snowfall season length is partly attributable to a later last snowfall date and partially due to earlier disappearance of continuous snow cover. The increase in fall transitional snowfall season length is mostly attributable to an earlier starting date of first snowfall.