Study of Snow Cover

This article presents data on the meteorological characteristics of recent winter seasons in Moscow and the results of snow cover observations at the Moscow State University meteorological observatory, as well as a comparison of meteorological conditions and snow accumulation patterns during this and previous winters. The 2025–2026 winter season was characterized by a relatively late onset of snow cover (December 22). By January 14, 2026, the snow depth in Moscow had already reached 46 cm. Such observations at the meteorological observatory site are necessary to study the influence of snow cover on the soil temperature field through boreholes drilled on the meteorological observatory site and equipped with thermocouples and recording devices. The article also presents the methodology and data of ground-penetrating radar sounding of snow cover at the site of the Moscow State University meteorological observatory using a ground-penetrating radar, Picor Ice, with a frequency of 1200 MHz, a measurement accuracy of 1–2 cm, and a resolution of 3 cm. The article also presents an analysis of the probing data and a comparison with the provided data from direct measurements, which allows us to draw conclusions about the structure of the snow cover and its spatiotemporal variability based solely on geophysical methods, and although the study was conducted in Russia, its results can be applied to other regions.