Introduction
During the 42nd session of United Nations General Assembly, the 1990s were declared as the international decade for abating the danger of natural disasters (Tyupkin Yu.S., 1990). To resolve this global problem, it is necessary to obtain new data on dangerous natural phenomena that cause catastrophes and damage to people and property in different regions of the world. The mission of the private sector is viewed as the systematic acquisition of data and the study of the spatial and temporal behavior of hostile as well as hazardous meteorological phenomena in the Arctic. Many of the natural atmospheric phenomena in the Russian Arctic that are considered to be extreme are dangerous or hazardous.
Currently, a comprehensive list and the defining criteria for weather hazards are delineated in the standard documentation of the Russian Hydrometeorological Service published in 1986 under the title: "Statement of the procedure for preparation and broadcasting of warnings about highly dangerous natural hydrometeorological and helio-geophysical phenomena and environmental pollution hazards." The phenomena considered to be hazardous include high wind, snow storms, frost, fog, icing, heavy snowfall, heavy rain and certain other meteorological elements if (a) their intensity, (b) extension region (a densely populated area or 1/3rd of a region) and/or (c) duration reach the thresholds defined in the 1986 Statement referred to above.
Atmospheric processes in the Arctic, in contrast to temperate zones, develop against a background of extremely severe natural and climatic conditions that are already hostile and are often dangerous for human activities. Development of the Arctic requires significant capital investments. As a result the Arctic region of Russia remains sparsely populated. In recent years, the situation has changed on Kolguyev Island, the Yamal Peninsula and other regions of the Russian Arctic due to the development of large oil and gas deposits on shelves of the northern and arctic seas. People have moved into previously uninhabited areas and valuable property has began to build up. To provide for their security, it is of primary importance to collect detailed information about dangerous meteorological phenomena observed in these developing regions.
The main goal of this study is to obtain a comprehensive set of climatic characteristics for hazardous meteorological phenomena in the Russian Arctic, to define the regions where they occur, and to identify those areas that are most strongly affected.
In this work we develop various indices defining meteorological hazards intended to provide the appropriate information for planning groups and other organizations interested in the development of the Russian Arctic. This information can also increase the effectiveness with which the Scientific & Production Subdivision of the Russian Hydrometeorological Commission will be able to provide safeguards to these northern areas. Results of investigations are presented as contour plots, tables and diagrams which characterize the distribution of threatening meteorological conditions.
The work was performed at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. Part of the initial data reduction was carried out by the Arctic departments of Hydrometeorological Service in Amderma, Dikson, Tiksi and Pevek. Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 were prepared by N. N. Bryazgin. The introduction, sections 4, 5, 6, 8, and the conclusions were produced by A. A. Dementyev; and the remaining sections were prepared jointly by both authors.
Financial support for the preparation and publication of the monograph have been provided by the Russian Ministry of Science. The work has been motivated by the technical policies of the Russian Federation under the auspices of the State Research Program for "General investigations of the oceans and seas of the Arctic and Antarctic."