ABSTRACT. – Trends and variability of the significant parameters of snow pack regime in the Romanian Carpathians. Snow pack characteristics and duration are considered key indicators of climate change in mountain regions, especially during the season of highest snow consistency (considered to last from November 1 to April 30). The paper focuses on trends and variability of the significant parameters of snow pack regime, registered at 15 weather stations (located above 1,000 m), over the 1961-2003 period. The Mann-Kendall non-parametric test was used to determine the statistical significance of trends observed in the snow pack regime. The general results show large regional and altitudinal variations, leading to the idea of an ongoing warming process (mostly affecting areas below 1,600-1,700 m) and a lower incidence of snow.
Key words: snow pack, winter, trends, Romanian Carpathians.