Results from an analysis of the inter-annual variability of ice conditions at a coastal site in the Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea) during the period 1927–2012 showed a significant decrease of the ice season length, by almost 30 days. The maximum annual ice thickness decreased by 8 cm in the last 40 years. Surface water temperature increased by almost 1°C. Related studies from the Finnish coast have shown similar decrease, with higher rate after the 1980s.
Source: Merkouriadi and Leppäranta, 2014. Climatic Change 124: 849–859
Photo: Antti T. Nissinen (www.flickr.com)
