Study on Spatial Autocorrelation of the Monthly Amounts of Damage by Heavy Snowfall in Korea

Abstract

This study was aimed to analyse spatial patterns of the monthly amounts of damage by heavy snowfall in Korea using damage data of disaster yearbook at all cities and guns(country level) in Korea during 1980-2014. Most damages by heavy snowfall happened in January, followed by March, December, February, and November. The spatial distribution of snowfall disaster areas by themselves represented a strong spatial positive autocorrelation. The local spatial autocorrelation is drawn by the LISA cluster map. The distribution of snow disaster area is not independent of a spatial context within geographic limits, forming a spatial cluster. We examined the synoptic scale situation in monthly extreme events of damage by heavy snowfall based on composite analysis. The result shows the snowfall disaster is characterized by low pressure in January. The snowfall disaster in February is characterized by easterly wind. The snowfall disaster in March is mainly due to low pressure. Westerly wind with west-high and east-low pressure system pattern is predominant in December.