Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
At the end of the winter, a different problem occurs. The melting of the heavy
snow accumulation produces large volumes of semi-melted ice and snow, often
creating slush avalanches in the far north and then a rapid water run-off which can
lead to severe flooding. Even bigger problems of flooding occur in more southerly
winter climates in spring. One comes from the ice-jams that block rivers and cause
a build-up of water that then overflows the river banks. Another comes from the
fact that snow and ice melts faster in the southern watersheds of northward flowing
rivers, which may still be frozen to the north and therefore block drainage. In the
Russian Spring this period also leads to a period of saturated soil that historically
made travel almost impossible for two weeks on the dirt roads, which become seas
of mud in the large flat plains. It is period known to the Russians as Rasputitsa (lit-
erally 'time without roads'), and to the Finns as Rospuuto. In Russia, the autumn
was a similar period of travel difficulty, in this case because of the effect of heavy
rains. The Finns also used the name Kelinkko for the spring period when ice started
to thin and then melt, making travel on rivers and lakes dangerous. An additional
problem in urban areas near areas with lots of lakes and rivers is the appearance of
large numbers of mosquitoes and other flies in the late spring. This is the season
that was often regarded by early explorers in northern lands (Davies
2004
) as the
most unpleasant. It remains a drawback today, despite frequent spraying in towns to
reduce the insect numbers, which leads to problems of chemical pollution.
8.3.2
The Psychological North
The attitudes of the majority of residents in urban places that experience severe
winter conditions range along a scale from finding it 'an inconvenience' to feelings
of 'fear', although it must be admitted that some people, especially long-time resi-
dents, prefer winter. Humans have counteracted the worse effects of cold by using
more layers of clothes, developed specialised insulated clothing, and created more
effective insulated houses with better warmth, for exposure to extreme cold can lead
to hypothermia and death. But it has been gradually realised that solving the prob-
lems of cold through layered clothing is not enough. Winter conditions, especially
the reduction of sunlight, can create severe psychological distress in some people.
This is a condition that is now known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a men-
tal state characterized by misery and even clinical depression. This condition seems
to be directly related to the limited sunlight of winter, which is often further reduced
by cloud cover. It is a condition recognised by different local or regional terms, such
as the term 'Lappsjuka' (literally Lappsickness') used by Stockholmers. A related
health problem due to the limited exposure to sunlight and ultra-violet rays in par-
ticular is that the body is unable to make enough Vitamin D in winter. This leads
to poor bone growth that produces diseases such as rickets, and the deficiency may
also be one of the reasons why influenza is more prevalent in winter. So people
in northern climates need vitamin D supplement to compensate for this effect, al-
though a diet with a high fish oil intake can also help counteract the problem. More
recently the deficiency has been alleviated by the development of sunlight lamps or
