Snow cover on the Lagonaky high plateau (Western Caucasus)

Recent research reveals significant variability in snow cover duration on the Lagonaky high plateau (Western Caucasus) from 1973 to 2015, with marked differences across altitudinal belts. Snow cover lasts 70–80 days at low altitudes (500–1000 m), 130 days in mid-altitudes (1000–1500 m), and 215 days above 2000 m, disappearing by late March below 700 m and by April 20th at 1000 m. The study also highlights substantial interannual fluctuations in snow depth and water content, linked to extreme winters (e.g., 1975/76) and low-snow seasons (e.g., 2013–2015). These changes are attributed to global climate shifts, with the maximum recorded snow depth of 610 cm observed in March 1976 near Fisht. The research combines long-term observations of snow stratigraphy, density, and temperature across two measuring courses (460–2020 m altitude) to document these trends.

Efremov, Yu. V., & Zimnitskiy, A. V. (2017). Snow cover on the Lagonaky high plateau (Western Caucasus). Ice and Snow, 57(3), 365–372. https://doi.org/10.15356/2076-6734-2017-3-365-372