Variabilité de la précipitation neigeuse dans l’Ouest des Alpes pendant la période 2000-2009 par données satellitaires de MODIS et stations météorologiques

Snowfall variability in the Western Alps (2000-2009 period) using MODIS satellite data and weather stations. Since 2000 and the availability of MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) snow cover satellite data, innovating analysis of snow cover over the Western Alps is possible. The temporal variability of the snow cover extension as well as the extreme and mean characteristics over the 2000-2009 period were investigated. Large-scale information on the snow cover extension provided by MODIS associated to ground information on snowfall provided by the weather stations network of the Regional Agency for Environmental Protection (ARPA) of Piedmont (Italy) were compared to temperature in order to describe the last snow seasons features.