Western Italian Alps Monthly Snowfall and Snow Cover Duration

Summary

This dta set consists of snow observations for 18 stations in the western Italian Alps. Two types of data are included: monthly snowfall amounts and monthly snow cover duration in days. The period of record varies with each station, with the longest station record including data from 1877 to 1996. The average station record duration is approximately 61 years. Available stations range from 565 meters to 2720 meters in elevation. The data are summaries of snow stake measurements. Daily observations of total snow depth were generally made at 8 a.m. local time. Data were aquired using a snow measuring rod. Snowfall amount was defined as being any increase over the previous day's reading. This measurement may be an underestimate of as much as 10-20% due to snow pack settlement. However, this underestimation is fairly consistent for all measurements. The daily data were then totaled to yield the monthly values.

Access to the Western Italian Alps Monthly Snowfall and Snow Cover Duration data set is unrestricted, but users are encouraged to register for the data. Registered users will receive e-mail notification about any product changes.

Citing These Data

Mercalli, L., and C. Castellano. 1999. Western Italian Alps monthly snowfall and snow cover duration. Boulder, CO: National Snow and Ice Data Center. http://dx.doi.org/10.7265/N5NP22C0

Overview Table

Category	Description
Data format	ASCII
Spatial coverage	Western Italian Alps
Temporal coverage	1877-1996
File size	The entire data set is 203 KB (compressed).
Parameter(s)	Monthly snowfall amounts and monthly snow cover duration in days
Metadata access	View metadata
Data access	Data are available via FTP.

Table of Contents

1. Contacts
2. Detailed Data Description
3. Data Access and Related Collections
4. Acknowledgements
5. Document Information

1. Contacts

Investigators

Dr. Luca Mercalli and Dr. Claudio Castellano
Societe Meteorologica Subalpina
V. G. Re 86
I-10143
Turino, Italy
meteo@arpnet.it

Technical Contact

2. Detailed Data Description

Parameters

Monthly snowfall amounts (total, in cm) and monthly snow cover duration in days

Spatial and Temporal Coverage and Resolution

Station Name	Elevation (in meters ASL)	Latitude (degrees North)	Longitude (degrees East)	Period of Record
Lago Toggia	2200	46.425	8.436	1932-1996
Lago Alpe Cavalli	1502	46.092	8.120	1931-1996
Lago Goillet	2526	45.925	7.670	1947-1996
Lago Gabiet	2340	45.842	7.853	1928-1996
Lago Cignana	2160	45.875	7.603	1927-1996
Gressoney D'Ejola	1850	45.858	7.793	1928-1996
Rimasco	891	45.858	8.070	1925-1996
Ceresole Reale	1579	45.425	7.253	1926-1996
Lago Valsoera	2440	45.492	7.403	1959-1996
Lago Serru'	2260	45.458	7.128	1955-1996
Balme	1432	45.308	7.211	1929-1996
Lago della Rossa	2720	45.275	7.153	1938-1996
Lago Moncenisio	2000	45.225	6.962	1931-1996
Lago Rochemolles	1926	45.125	6.762	1925-1996
Bardonecchia	1340	45.075	6.695	1925-1996
Lago Castello	1660	44.608	7.053	1943-1996
Cuneo	565	44.392	7.550	1877-1996
Lago Chiotas	2010	44.192	7.317	1979-1996

Format

Data are stored in fixed length comma delimited fields in an ASCII file. Each data field is a four digit integer. All missing data are flagged as 9999.

Both the snowfall and the snow cover duration data files include a header combining station name, elevation, latitude, and longitude.

Monthly snowfall amount fields:

• Year of data
• Monthly values
• Summary of the year
• Summary for one hydrologic year, October through September

Sample monthly snowfall record for file sbalme.dat:

	Balme, 1432, 45.308, 7.211
	1929,  82,   8,  23,  46,   4,   0,   0,   0,   0,   0,   9,  70, 242,9999  

The first record is the header. Descriptions of the second record entries are as follows:

Entry	Description
1929	year of the data
82	snowfall (in centimeters) in January
8	snowfall (in centimeters) in February
23	snowfall (in centimeters) in March
46	snowfall (in centimeters) in April
4	snowfall (in centimeters) in May
0	snowfall (in centimeters) in June
0	snowfall (in centimeters) in July
0	snowfall (in centimeters) in August
0	snowfall (in centimeters) in September
0	snowfall (in centimeters) in October
9	snowfall (in centimeters) in November
70	snowfall (in centimeters) in December
242	total amount of snowfall (in centimeters) in 1929
9999	missing flag for the total for the hydrologic year 1929 which runs from October 1928 through September 1929

Monthly snow cover duration fields included:

• Year of data
• Number of days of snow cover for the month
• Yearly total of days of snow cover
• Total days of snow cover for one hydrologic year, October through September

Sample monthly snowfall record for file dbalme.dat.

	Balme, 1432, 45.308, 7.211
	1929,  31,  28,  17,   9,   1,   0,   0,   0,   0,   0,  17,  31, 134,9999 

The first record is the header. Descriptions of the second record entries are as follows:

Entry	Description
1929	year of the data
31	days of snow cover in January
28	days of snow cover in February
17	days of snow cover in March
9	days of snow cover in April
1	days of snow cover in May
0	days of snow cover in June
0	days of snow cover in July
0	days of snow cover in August
0	days of snow cover in September
0	days of snow cover in October
17	days of snow cover in November
31	days of snow cover in December
134	total number of days of snow cover in 1929
9999	missing flag for total number of days in the hydrologic year 1929, which runs from October 1928 - September 1929

File Size

The entire data set is 203 KB (compressed).

3. Data Access and Related Collections

Data are available via FTP. NSIDC has many snow data sets that can be found by searching the data catalog.

4. Acknowledgements

This data set is maintained at NSIDC with support from the NOAA National Geophysical Data Center.

5. Document Information

Document Authors

Unknown

Document Creation Date

Unknown

Document Revision Date

In July 2006, this document was reformatted.

Document URL

http://nsidc.org/data/docs/noaa/g01186_west_ital_alps_snow_fall/index.html