Climate influences on transport system in Tomsk region: present stateand possible changes

The aim of the current work is to estimate climatic parameters, which can potentially influence automobile transportsystem in Tomsk region. In particular composites of days with the surface air temperature below -25°C and days with shifts of thesurface air temperature across the freezing point are analyzed. The road transport plays an important role in regional transport network(85%) as Tomsk region is located far from the main Russian Federation railway (the Trans-Siberian Railway). The strongest influenceof weather conditions on the transport system occurs during the cold season which lasts for about 180-190 days in Tomsk region. It isnecessary to provide reliable information to road management organizations about the current and future climate of the region becauseof the extensive projects of new roads construction. It is required for determination of roads design, construction, reparation and safety.By the national project ''Roads of 21 Century'' a highway "Northern Road" in Western Siberia is under construction. This road willbecome a part of the federal highway Moscow - Khabarovsk. 602 km of this highway (data from 2010) are located in the area of Tomskregion. This article provides detailed information on meteorological parameters, which influence the road conditions during the coldseason and effect the grip of the wheel. These parameters are number of days with the surface air temperature below -25°C and numberof days with shifts of the surface air temperature around the freezing point. Moreover, assessment of the general climatic state is givenand variability of the factors are analyzed. Several applied climatological indices, which are required for providing information foroptimal roads functioning and exploration, have been calculated. Cluster analysis has been performed to classify the explored regionaccording to the two climatological factors. The analysis of the spatial-temporal variability of the climatological factors affecting theroads has been performed. The conclusions are as following: 1. Long-term average of number of days with sifts of the surface airtemperature around the freezing point for the investigated region is 65. 2. The maxima are in October (13 days) and April (18 days). 3.Days with sifts of the surface air temperature across the freezing point at the end of the cold season is observed more often, than at thebeginning of it. 4. The majority of events (60 %) when this parameter occurs are observed during the spring season. 5. Probability ofoccurrence grows from 1965 till 2001, then - decreases. 6. Long-term average number of days during the cold season where the surfaceair temperature is less than or equal to -25 °C is 24 days. 7. The maximum of days is in January (9 days). 8. Occurrence of one day withdaily average surface air temperature below -25 °C in March is a distinctive feature of Tomsk region. 9. Repeatability of number of dayswith the surface air temperature below -25 °C grows till 1980, then decreases till 2006. 10. The studied characteristics have zonaldistribution in space.

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