Snow covered area from satellite images

Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) applies optical Earth observation data to monitor snow depletion during melting period. In this activity, the fraction of snow covered area (SCA) is estimated for

• 5km×5km grid cells for Finland and neighboring areas
• 3rd order sub-basins of Finland
• 0.05^o ×0.05^o for Baltic Sea drainage area

With the algorithm developed at SYKE, we use daily Terra/MODIS imagery to determine the SCA percentages for each unit area. The gained percentages are depicted with different colors in snow maps; numerical basin-wise data are delivered to SYKE's hydrological modelling and forecasting system. Due to the obscuring effect of clouds, a complete coverage cannot be reached with optical data. In the snow map calendars for each year, the days with at least partially clear-sky scene can be chosen.

• Snow Covered Area Maps 2010
• Snow Covered Area Maps 2009
• Snow Covered Area Maps 2008
• Snow Covered Area Maps 2007
• Snow Covered Area Maps 2006
• Snow Covered Area Maps 2005
• Snow Covered Area Maps 2004
• Snow Covered Area Maps 2003
• Snow Covered Area Maps 2002
• Snow Covered Area Maps 2001

Snow Covered Area over Europe, 2nd April 2008.

More information

Remote sensing team (syke_rs_oper), Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Geoinformatics and land use division,

Sari Metsämäki, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Geoinformatics and land use division,
firstname.surname@ymparisto.fi [sari metsamaki]

Miia Salminen, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Geoinformatics and land use division, on maternity leave
firstname.surname@ymparisto.fi

Disclaimer

Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) / Geoinformatics and Land Use Division has produced these Remote Sensing products. The products are based on NOAA AVHRR (NOAA), TERRA MODIS (NASA), ENVISAT MERIS (ESA) and RADARSAT (CSA) satellite observations. NOAA AVHRR and TERRA MODIS images are received by Finnish Meteorological Institute. ENVISAT MERIS images are received from ESA/Kiruna Envisat web file server. These products may be used for non-commercial purposes with the only restriction that SYKE should be mentioned as a source if data is used in publications or in presentations or made available to the public in some other way. In case of scientific publications which explicitly make use of the products the appropriate references are to be inquired from the remote sensing group (syke_rs_oper): group@ymparisto.fi [syke_rs_oper].