History of Baltic Sea Ice Climate Workshops 
17 
Second (1996, September): Otepàà, Estonia 
The second workshop was held in the Otepàà, southern Estonia, in 2-5 September 1996. The 
organisers were Professor Heino Mardiste and Dr. Arvo Jàrvet from the Department of 
Geography of the University of Tartu. Participants came from all Baltic Sea shoreline countries 
except Latvia and Lithuania, altogether 28: 1 from Denmark, 6 from Estonia, 9 from Finland, 5 
from Germany, 2 from Poland, 2 from Russia, and 3 from Sweden. The presentations filled two 
and a half days, with one half-day reserved for an excursion in the Estonian countryside. 
Mathematical modelling and ice time series formed the main theme of the workshop (see 
Jàrvet, 1999). In addition, there were several papers about local ice conditions in different 
coastal regions of the Baltic Sea, such as Vàinameer basin west from Estonia and the river 
Oder estuary. Snow conditions and freezing lakes in the Baltic Sea drainage basin were also 
covered in the presentations. 
Third (September 1999): Stawiska, Poland 
The third workshop was held in Stawiska, Kaszuby, Northern Poland, in 5-8 October 1999. The 
organisers were Dr. Marzenna Sztobryn and Ms. Ida Stanislawczyk from the Maritime Branch 
of the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management in Gdynia. The site was a small resort 
place in a picturesque lake district. Participants came altogether 23: 2 from Estonia, 8 from 
Finland, 3 from Germany, 9 from Poland, and in addition one representative from WMO (World 
Meteorological Organization), Geneva. The presentations filled two and a half days, with 
intensive discussions continuing until late hours. 
Mathematical modelling and ice time series form the main theme of the workshop (see 
Sztobryn, 2002). In addition, there were several papers on environmental questions connected 
with sea ice. 
Fourth (May 2002): Norrkoping, Sweden 
The fourth workshop was held in the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), 
Norrkoping in 22-24 May 2002. The organisers were Professor Anders Omstedt from Goteborg 
University and Dr. Lars Axell from SMHI. Participants came altogether 35, containing scientists 
and end users: 4 from Estonia, 5 from Finland, 7 from Germany, 1 from Poland and 16 from 
Sweden, and additionally from outside the Baltic Sea 1 participant came from Canada and 1 
from Japan. The presentations filled two and a half days, with one half-day reserved for an 
excursion in Norrkoping. 
It was clearly reflected in the presentations that the long-term modelling and time series 
analysis had greatly progressed since the first workshop nine years earlier (Omstedt and Axell, 
2003). Now in 2002 there were several ice modelling groups around the Baltic Sea, and the 
picture of the ice season variability as seen by the time series had become much better 
understood. For future actions two important items were recognised: extension of IDA data 
base to include time series and calling modellers for a climatological prediction of the ice 
season 2049/2050. Also it was seen that the collaboration between sea ice geophysicists and 
sea ice biologists was rapidly expanding in the Baltic Sea region.