The International Classification for Seasonal Snow on the Ground Prepared by the ICSI-UCCS-IACS Working Group on Snow Classification IHP-VII Technical Documents in Hydrology N° 83 IACS Contribution N° 1 UNESCO, Paris, 2009 Published in 2009 by the International Hydrological Programme (IHP) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) 1 rue Miollis, 75732 Paris Cedex 15, France IHP-VII Technical Documents in Hydrology N° 83 | IACS Contribution N° 1 UNESCO Working Series SC-2009/WS/15 © UNESCO/IHP 2009 The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout the publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The author(s) is (are) responsible for the choice and the presentation of the facts contained in this book and for the opinions expressed therein, which are not necessarily those of UNESCO and do not commit the Organization. Citation: Fierz, C., Armstrong, R.L., Durand, Y., Etchevers, P., Greene, E., McClung, D.M., Nishimura, K., Satyawali, P.K. and Sokratov, S.A. 2009. The International Classification for Seasonal Snow on the Ground. IHP-VII Technical Documents in Hydrology N°83, IACS Contribution N°1, UNESCO-IHP, Paris. Publications in the series of IHP Technical Documents in Hydrology are available from: IHP Secretariat | UNESCO | Division of Water Sciences 1 rue Miollis, 75732 Paris Cedex 15, France Tel: +33 (0)1 45 68 40 01 | Fax: +33 (0)1 45 68 58 11 E-mail:
[email protected] http://www.unesco.org/water/ihp Printed in UNESCO’s workshops Paris, France FOREWORD Undoubtedly, within the scientific community consensus is a crucial requirement for identifying phenomena, their description and the definition of terms; in other words the creation and maintenance of a common language.