The 2008 international classification of seasonal snow on the ground

Abstract

The “International Classification for Seasonal Snow on the Ground” published in 1990 is\nnow well accepted by most snow scientists and practitioners around the world. Nevertheless, the snow\ncommunity felt some points needed to be revised. Most problems were spotted within the classification of\nwet snow and crusts, but also in conjunction with polar snow, blowing snow, snow in forests or on how\nwell a non-specialist end-user may be able to use the classification. In 2003, a working group on Snow\nClassification was established by the former International Commission on Snow and Ice (ICSI) that now\nhas become the International Association of Cryospheric Sciences (IACS) within the International Union\nof Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG). Based on feedbacks provided by both practitioners and scientists,\nthe Working Group discussed and implemented necessary changes to the 1990 snow classification. The\nrevised classification has then been reviewed by a representative committee of worldwide snow practitioners,\nsnow researchers and agencies. The 2008 classification will be published by UNESCO in the series\na “Technical Documents in Hydrology” and will be downloadable from the web. Here we will present\nthe main revisions focusing on those of importance for snow and avalanche practitioners and scientists.