Arctic climate variability and ice regime of the Lena River delta lakes

Abstract

Climate variability in the Russian Arctic in 1991-2017 is examined based on the mesurements of the air temperature at 19 meteorological stations. The average annual air temperature at the stations fluctuated relative to the climatic baseline of 1961-1990 by 0.5-4°C in 1991-2004. Since 2005, it was higher than the climatic baseline at all stations annually. The increase in the air temperature was most pronounced in the winter months from November to February at all stations (more than 15ºC at some stations in some years). The increase in the air temperature in the summer months was noticeably smaller. The baseline level of the average monthly air temperature from November to February was exceeded most prominently at high latitude meteorological stations located at Wiese Island, Severnaya Zemlya, and Franz Josef Land (16-17ºC in some years, starting with 2005). Stations located at a distance from the ocean, such as Khatanga and Tiksi, are characterized by a smaller temperature increase compared to coastal and island stations, such as Barenzburg, Wrangel Island and others. Smaller deviations of the air temperature from the baseline level are typical in the western sector of the Russian Arctic (Murmansk, Svyatoy Nose). The influence of the Arctic climate variability on the ice regime of arctic lakes is considered according to Flake model (http://www.flake.igb-berlin.de/) for the Lena River Delta lakes.