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ERS-2SARLR Calibrated Image: 03-FEB-1997 21:03:46 ESA / TSS 1997 
Scene Center: 53.57 N 14.51 E 
Introduction 
The aim of the present contribution is the description of ice conditions in the Polish - German 
border waters. A statistical analysis of ice data, collected by the Polish and German ice 
services, is performed. This analysis includes detailed information on the frequency of ice 
occurrence, distribution of ice thickness and ice concentration, number of days with ice, 
duration of the ice seasons, and the dates of the first and last occurrence of ice in the 
observation areas. The average values are calculated only for winters with ice formation. 
Statistical information is given for the climatological period 1961-1990. The meteorological 
conditions in the area under consideration are described in detail for three winters (1986/87, 
1976/77, 1988/89) which are typical examples of severe, moderate, and mild ice winters, 
respectively, in terms of the commonly adopted classification. The analysis and comparison 
of ice parameters in severe, moderate and mild winters give us valuable guidelines for the 
classification of ice winters in the southern Baltic region. A simple model of ice formation 
processes is outlined which allows a good quantitative description of the ice thickness in 
Szczecin Lagoon in dependence on the sum of coldness.