Andrzej Gluza

Temperature and rainfall control of outflow from the Scott Glacier catchment (Svalbard) in the summers of 2005 and 2006

The article examines characteristics of meteorological and runoff time-series collected from the Scott Glacier catchment, Svalbard, during 2005 and 2006. The river discharge of Scottelva (Scott River) was monitored at a gauging station situated near the mouth of Recherche Fjord. Meteorological time-series (i.e. air temperature and precipitation) were monitored in Calypsobyen. The analysis shows interrelationships between meteorological and hydrological time-series, and that the runoff of Scottelva depends on the amount and intensity of glacial ablation. Total ablation for the Scott Glacier was estimated at 63.9 cm water equivalent in the 2005 season and 98.2 cm water equivalent in the 2006 season. A total of 64% and 72% of the discharge from the Scottelva in the respective 2005 and 2006 seasons came from surface ablation of the glacier.

Precipitation‐free periods and water resources in the Lublin region, SE Poland

Purpose – The moist periods with high precipitation and periods of atmospheric droughts are a potential great hazard to the functioning of ecosystems and different sectors of the national economy in the Lublin region. Therefore, a recognition of time variability of these atmospheric phenomena and the conditions of their occurrence are the main aims of this paper.Design/methodology/approach – The analysis of the precipitation‐free periods was based on the meteorological data from the years 1951‐2009 recorded in the Meteorological Observatory of the Maria Curie‐Sklodowska University in Lublin. Main hydrological data concerning dynamics of groundwater table and surface water table came from the measurement network of the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management.Findings – Very long precipitation‐free periods, lasting over 20 days, appeared only seven times – once a year in 1953, 1956, 1959, 1971, 1983, and twice in 2000. Since the 1980s, the number of precipitation‐free periods has been decreasing paral...