Impact of global warming on climatic severity in Northern and Eastern Russia during the 1980s

Abstract The results of research on climatic severity in the northern and eastern regions of Russia, manifest particularly in the form of cold stress (the principal climatic discomfort characteristic), are presented. Climatic severity was assessed using bioclimatic indices, making it possible to take into account the combined impact of low temperature, wind speed, and humidity. Some amelioration of climatic severity over the greater part of Russia has been detected recently, during the period of global climatic warming. Maps of bioclimatic indices make it possible to assess the magnitude and scope of change in climatic severity during the period of global climatic warming in the 1980s.