Author(s): Wojciech Majewski; Lukasz Zinski
Linked Author(s): Wojciech Majewski
Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: The Vistula River is the largest Polish river, which flows from the south to north and discharges into Baltic Sea. Flow direction has strong influence on the formation and decay of ice phenomena and ice cover. The final section of the Vistula is the Lower Vistula from the confluence of the Narew River to the sea. This section has variable character and is very prone to ice jams of various characteristics. It is important to forecast or even foresee first appearance of ice phenomena (frazil ice, border ice, bottom ice, ice floes or ice pans) and formation of permanent ice cover. Such observations were carried out in several crosssections of the Lower Vistula. Analyses of these data for the cross-section Torunstarting from1860 to the present time clearly indicate the decreasing number of days with ice phenomena and solid ice cover. This situation strongly depends on the meteorological parameters as well as river discharge and water temperature. The paper presents information on the duration of ice phenomena and ice cover, water temperature and air temperature in several cross-sections of the Lower Vistula. It appears that the idea of NDD factor (cumulative freezing-degreedays) can be a good indicator for the formation of ice phenomena along the Lower Vistula.
Year: 2010