THE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF METHODS USED IN RANKING WINTERS (BY THE DATA OF SATELLITE OBSERVATIONS OF THE SEA OF OKHOTSK AND THE TATAR STRAIT, MADE FROM 1971 TO 2013)
Ranking winters by severity of sea ice conditionsis made by three methods (Doronin’s method, Plotnikov’s method and Petrov’s method) for 10 and 4 zones of the Sea of Okhotsk and the Tatar Strait, respectively, separately for three (from January to March) and four (from January to April) months. The collection of satellite observations, made by Japan Meteorological Agency from 1971 to 2013, is used as a basic data. The most correct and indicative method of ranking winters for the Sea of Okhotsk and the Tatar Strait is selected. The comparative analysis of the findings for different zones of the Sea of Okhotsk and the Tatar Strait is made. The obtain data can be used for a further analysis and a possible prediction of the Sea of Okhotsk and the Tatar Strait ice conditions.