Snow cover variability in Lithuania over the last 50 years and its relationship with large-scale atmospheric circulation

In this study, the snow cover dynamics in Lithuania from 1961 to 2010 is analyzed. The spatial distribution of snow cover parameters, as well as intra-seasonal variability and long-term changes are evaluated. Snow survey results in the open field and the forest are compared. The Hess-Brezowski circulation form classification is used to link heavy snow cover accumulation or ablation events in Lithuania with the synoptic situations. The long-term variability of the number of days with snow cover and its connection with large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns (AO and NAO) is also investigated. The decrease in the number of days with snow cover during the study period is determined throughout the whole territory of Lithuania. Meanwhile, changes in the maximum snow depth are not so unambiguous. The study results also show that large-scale atmospheric patterns strongly influence the snow cover regime.