Temperature conditions in permafrost areas of the mountains of southwestern Alberta and the European Alps

Abstract

The maritime climate of the Alps has a mean annual air temperature of -1° to -2°C at 700-800 m higher elevation than Alberta. Winter snow cover is much deeper and nonpermafrost areas can extend 900 m higher than in southwest Alberta. Numbers of freeze-thaw cycles in air are lower in the Alps and concentrated more in late Spring and early Fall. Climatic warming is producing substantial melting of permafrost in the Alps, in contrast to little effect in southwest Alberta. -from Author Show more