In this article, we present estimates of diurnal and semidiurnal harmonics of variations in integrated water vapor content (IWV) according to data from 16 GPS stations in the Volga–Ural region of Russia during 2013–2015. Amplitudes of diurnal harmonics are maximal in summer and reach values from 0.37 to 1.01 mm. Time at the maximum of diurnal harmonic is typically in the period from 14:00 to 17:00. Semidiurnal harmonics have the largest amplitudes in spring and autumn, but they do not exceed 0.19 mm. A comparison of the diurnal cycle from GPS data and ERA-Interim reanalysis has revealed significant differences in the phase. It is established that, as a result of evaporation from the underlying surface and convective lifting of moist air, the summer diurnal variations in IWV and surface density of water vapor are in antiphase. The diurnal cycle of IWV is determined by surface air temperature to be 88 % in summer and less than at 35 % in other seasons. It is noted that maximal amplitudes of diurnal harmonic of IWV are observed at stations located on the windward side of mountains.

Based on multiyear measurements of the atmospheric aerosol optical depth (AOD) in a typical region of Siberia (Tomsk), we analyzed the relationship between the AOD and different synoptic factors. The averaged spectral AOD dependencies for two air mass types (continental polar and Arctic air) and different pressure systems are compared. The effect of cloud cover and precipitation on the AOD is estimated. We discuss the results of wavelet analysis of the time series of the AOD and columnar water vapor for a number of observation sites (AERONET stations in Tomsk, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Yakutsk, and Ussuriisk). The specific features of synoptic-scale quasi-periodic variations at different measurement sites are identified and compared.

Variations in the atmospheric integrated water vapor obtained from the phase measurement by satellite navigation systems’ receivers are discussed. The comparison between numerical weather reanalysis fields and solar photometer measurements has shown an agreement with a relative deviation of less than 10%. Intraseasonal processes of 3–45 days in length significantly contribute to variations in the atmospheric integrated water vapor; their amplitude is 1–4 kg/m². Variations with periods from 3 to 10 days are the most frequent.

Based on two-frequency phase measurements of GNSS signals by ground-based receivers, zenith delays of radio signals in the troposphere are estimated. These estimates are compared with the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data on weather fields. It is shown that the standard deviation in the values of zenith delays obtained in both ways is about 1 cm on average. According to our calculations, such a level of accuracy permits one to study the interday and intraday dynamics of the troposphere. The temporal resolution of estimates based on the GNSS data is 2 h, which makes it possible to organize atmosphere monitoring using a ground-based network of satellite tracking systems.