Doppler Radar Analysis of the Structure of Mesoscale Snow Bands Developed between the Winter Monsoon and the Land Breeze

Ishihara, Masahito; Sakakibara, Hitoshi; Yanagisawa, Zenji

doi:10.2151/jmsj1965.67.4_503

Cited by 36 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 21 publications

(19 reference statements)

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“…1) as well as in that of Niigata. In some case studies, it has been reported that the cold land breeze from the mountains plays a crucial role in the maintenance of snowbands off the coast of Hokuriku (Ishihara et al 1989;Ohigashi and Tsuboki 2005) and off the coast of the area between Niigata and Hokuriku (Yoshihara et al 2004;Eito et al 2005). Ookubo and Kurokawa (2000) suggested that the southwesterly wind deflected by the mountain range in Hokuriku formed a shear line with the northwesterly winter monsoon.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Statistical Analyses of Snowfall Distribution in the Niigata Area and its Relationship to the Wind Distribution

Iwamoto

Nakai

Sato

2008

SOLA

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Analyses of precipitation amounts and surface winds observed at weather stations were conducted to investigate the effect of the topography on the snowfall distribution in Niigata. The topographic effect on the precipitation, particularly in the Niigata plain, has not been well discussed although Akiyama (1981aAkiyama ( , 1981b discussed the relationship between the snowfall distribution in Niigata and the synoptic scale condition. Using an empirical orthogonal function analysis, the winter precipitation distribution from 1988 to 2007 in Niigata was categorized as plain-type (P-type) and mountain-type (M-type). The P-type precipitation occurs under an upper trough over the Sea of Japan. The synoptic westerly wind, brought by the lower trough near the Japan Islands, and the deep convective mixed layer will be responsible for the precipitation in the plains of Niigata and Hokuriku. In addition, the Noto Peninsula and the mountain range to the east of the Hokuriku area seem to play an dynamical role in the precipitation in the Niigata plain. The M-type precipitation occurs under the upper trough over Japan. The synoptic scale condition brings northwesterly wind, which causes a topographic updraft at the mountain slope, resulting in precipitation dominated in the Niigata mountain range.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Statistical Analyses of Snowfall Distribution in the Niigata Area and its Relationship to the Wind Distribution

Iwamoto

Nakai

Sato

2008

SOLA

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“…Mesoscale vortex-like disturbances were analyzed by Asai and Miura (1981), and mesoscale snow bands were observed with a doppler radar (Sakakibara et al, 1988;Ishihara et al, 1989;Tsuboki et al, 1989). Recently a polar low developed over the Japan Sea was described by and Nic1992, Meteorological Society of Japan nomiya and .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the above-mentioned observational and numerical studies are restricted in some clouds, and it is not sufficient to describe the statistical features of microphysical processes in snow clouds over the Japan Islands. Statistical studies for heavy snowfall over the Japan Islands were made by several researchers (Fukuda, 1965;Kawamura, 1968;Ishihara, 1968;Akiyama, 1981a and b). In their studies the classification and large-scale situation for snowfall were examined.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Statistical Characteristics of Graupel Precipitation over the Japan Islands

Mizuno¹

1992

Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan

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The occurrence and amount of graupel precipitation over the Japan Islands are studied using routine surface observation data at 150 stations.The results of statistical analysis of the annual and monthly number of days with graupel for 1971-1986 in the geographical map and in annual cycles show that graupel fall is predominant in winter over the Japan Sea coastal area in Tohoku and Hokuriku District.Furthermore, monthly precipitation amount of graupel in January for 1982-1986 at five stations in the coastal area are statistically estimated to be at least one-fourth to one-third of the monthly precipitation amount. Based on the statistical results of graupel precipitation, weather modification potential by cloud seeding is discussed.

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“…The total amount of precipitation at *10km inland from the coast is less than a half of that at the coast itself. Ishihara et al (1989) with the north-westerly monsoon wind. The depth of the land breeze was *300m.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Structure of a Land Breeze and Snowfall Enhancement at the Leading Edge

Tsuboki

Fujiyoshi

Wakahama

1989

Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan

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A land breeze is frequently observed along the coastal region of the Ishikari Plain during the winter season. A land-breeze front is formed offshore between colder over-land air and warmer over-sea air. In this study, we mainly used a single Doppler radar to examine the structure of the land breeze and its effect on snow clouds. The vertical profile of wind velocity was divided into three layers: the landbreeze layer (*300m in depth), the shear layer and the prevailing wind layer. The frontal surface was steep near the front, but almost horizontal at a distance from the front. Kelvin-Helmholtz instability waves were observed along the interface of the land breeze and the northwesterly monsoon wind.The land breeze strongly influenced the modification of snow-clouds. A rapid intensification of snow-cloud echo, which was often observed at the land-breeze front, might have been caused by a strong low-level convergence at the front. Behind the front, however, the echo rapidly weakened and dissipated, since the air mass of the north-westerly monsoon wind lost vapor and its lower part became stable when mixed with the land breeze. Consequently, convection was suppressed. Since the intensification and dissipation of echo recurred, the intense echo region seemed to be stagnant at the front, while each cell moved at a speed of the prevailing wind; this resulted in the localization of heavy precipitation at the front. The time-averaged distribution of echo intensity shows the concentration of precipitation in the coastal region where the front was located. The analysis of the AMeDAS data also shows that precipitation was localized along the coastal region when there was a land breeze.

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Doppler Radar Analysis of the Structure of Mesoscale Snow Bands Developed between the Winter Monsoon and the Land Breeze

Cited by 36 publications

References 21 publications

Statistical Analyses of Snowfall Distribution in the Niigata Area and its Relationship to the Wind Distribution

Statistical Analyses of Snowfall Distribution in the Niigata Area and its Relationship to the Wind Distribution

Statistical Characteristics of Graupel Precipitation over the Japan Islands

Structure of a Land Breeze and Snowfall Enhancement at the Leading Edge

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