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

Iwamoto, Katsushi; Nakai, S.; Sato, Atsushi

doi:10.2151/sola.2008-012

Cited by 16 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Previous studies have reported a large spatial variation of snow cover in coastal areas of the Japan Sea (Nakai and Iwamoto 2006;Iwamoto et al 2008). ADSD also has annual and seasonal variation in coastal area (Wakabayashi et al 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Analysis of Regional Difference in Altitude Dependence of Snow Depth Using High Resolve Numerical Experiments

Uno

Kawase

Ishizaki

et al. 2014

SOLA

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This study focuses on the main factor of regional difference in Altitudinal Dependency of Snow Depth (ADSD) and discusses the applicable range of snow cover estimation method with ADSD. We use the high-density surface observational data and a regional climate model in Niigata Prefecture. The estimation method with ADSD produces significant estimation error if the method is applied to broad areas. The high-density observational data show the regional difference of ADSD between windward and leeward areas with a coastal mountain. Numerical simulation reproduces these observational results. We evaluate mountain effects on the regional difference of ADSD using sensitivity experiments. In the sensitivity experiment, the altitude is changed from a mountain to a flat plain. The sensitivity experiment shows that the regional differences of ADSD are not simulated. The results indicate that the applicable range of the estimation method with ADSD is limited to a single slope and mountain. It should be noted that this method has a high probability of increasing the estimation error in

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Analysis of Regional Difference in Altitude Dependence of Snow Depth Using High Resolve Numerical Experiments

Uno

Kawase

Ishizaki

et al. 2014

SOLA

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“…In the M-type climatological winter monsoon pattern, the high pressure in the west of Japan and the low pressure in the east are temporally enhanced and lead to northerly-northwesterly winds from the Eurasian continent, whereas in the P-type snowfall distribution, the pattern rather temporally weakens due to a weak and/or slow depression over the Sea of Japan. Iwamoto et al (2008) found different local surface wind directions/strengths between the P-type and the M-type snowfalls in the Niigata area. Strong M-type local winds occur in the southward-southeastward direction, whereas weak P-type local winds are directed eastward.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…It is empirically and statistically known that there is variability in snowfall distributions in the Japan-Sea side areas, for which the predominant snowfall occurs in the mountainous areas, referred to as mountain-(M-) type snowfall; the other predominant one occurs in the plains, referred to as plain-(P-) type snowfall (Akiyama 1981a, b;Tachibana 1995;Iwamoto et al 2008;Ueda et al 2015). The P-and M-type snowfalls occurring in the Niigata area, one of the heaviest snowfall areas at the Japan-Sea side, have been studied (e.g., Fukaishi 1961;Akiyama 1981a, b;Iwamoto et al 2008). There are three dominant snowfall distributions: the P type, the M type, and a positive/ negative snowfall anomaly in both the plain and the mountainous areas, referred to as the PM type.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The most dominant snowfall distribution (mode) was the variability of excess and suppressed snowfall over the entire Niigata area (PM type 1 ), whereas the second mode was a seesaw of the P-and M-type snowfalls. Iwamoto et al (2008) carefully performed a quality check on the precipitation data from the Niigata area and found these snowfall types to be the most dominant modes over a long period.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Regional Snowfall Distributions in a Japan-Sea Side Area of Japan Associated with Jet Variability and Blocking

Yamazaki

Honda

Kawase

2019

Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan

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This study found that regional snowfall distributions in a Japan-Sea side area of Japan are controlled by intraseasonal jet variability, particularly the 10-day-timescale quasi-stationary Rossby waves across the Eurasian continent and the atmospheric blocking over the East Asian region. This study was mainly focused on the Niigata area, which is representative of heavy snowfall areas in Japan. Based on previous studies, three types of dominant snowfall distributions were defined: (1) the plain (P) type, which is characterized by heavy snowfall events predominant in coastal regions of the Niigata area; (2) the mountain (M) type, which occurs in the mountainous regions; and (3) the PM type, which occurs across the whole Niigata area. Our results revealed that all distribution types were related to the southward shift of the westerly jet over Japan associated with an intensified trough, i.e., cyclonic anomalies, originating from quasi-stationary Rossby waves along westerly jets over Eurasia (Eurasian jets). The cyclonic anomalies were found to be also related to blocking cyclones because the frequency of blocking events considerably increased in the East Siberian region. The mechanisms leading to trough intensification were different among the events of the three snowfall types. The formation of Siberian blocking with relatively different positions and different paths of quasi-stationary Rossby wave packet propagation along Eurasian jets was evident in the distribution types. Therefore, local-scale snowfall distributions in the Japan-Sea side area are determined by anomalous large-scale circulations, which can be evidently distinguished in the global reanalysis data.

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“…The largest decrease was observed in the northwestern Japanese coastal area (Ishizaka 2004, Takeuchi et al 2008, Ishii and Suzuki 2011, Suzuki 2011). This area is highly affected by the winter monsoon; air masses coming from the Asian continent pick up moisture in the Japan Sea and precipitation is enhanced by the orographic effect of the coastal mountain range (Akiyama 1981, Iwamoto et al 2008.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mapping of Japanese areas susceptible to snow cover change

Chaffe

Takara

Yamashiki

et al. 2013

Hydrological Sciences Journal

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Many of the Japanese regions subject to seasonal snow cover are characterized by low elevations and relatively high winter temperatures. A small change in winter temperatures could render many of these areas susceptible to snow cover change and consequently affect water resources management. This paper describes a climatological approach combined with an AGCM output to identify the regions and main river basins most sensitive to snow cover change in the case of climate change in Japan. It was found that a 1• C rise in temperature during the winter season could increase the snow-free area of Japan by 6%. The snow cover of Tohoku region and Mogami and Agano river basins was found to be the most sensitive to climate change. The AGCM output for a future scenario presents a reduction in total snowfall and an earlier peak in snowmelt for all regions.Key words snow cover; climate change; AGCM; AMeDAS; APHRO_JP; Japan Cartographie des régions du Japon sensibles aux changements de la couverture nivale Résumé La plupart des régions japonaises soumises à une couverture nivale saisonnière sont caractérisées par de faibles altitudes et des températures hivernales relativement élevées. Dans ces régions, un petit changement des températures hivernales peut modifier le régime de la couverture nivale et par conséquent avoir une incidence sur la gestion des ressources en eau. Cet article décrit une approche climatologique combinée avec une sortie de MCGA (Modèle de circulation générale atmosphérique) pour identifier les régions et les bassins les plus sensibles aux changements de la couverture nivale provoqués par le changement climatique au Japon. On a constaté qu'1• C de température en plus au cours de l'hiver pourrait augmenter la surface dépourvue de neige du Japon de 6%. Les couvertures nivales de la région de Tohoku et des bassins du Mogami et de l'Agano se sont révélées être les plus sensibles au changement climatique. La sortie MCGA d'un scénario futur présente une réduction du total des chutes de neige et un maximum plus précoce de la fonte des neiges pour toutes les régions.

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

Cited by 16 publications

References 9 publications

Analysis of Regional Difference in Altitude Dependence of Snow Depth Using High Resolve Numerical Experiments

Analysis of Regional Difference in Altitude Dependence of Snow Depth Using High Resolve Numerical Experiments

Regional Snowfall Distributions in a Japan-Sea Side Area of Japan Associated with Jet Variability and Blocking

Mapping of Japanese areas susceptible to snow cover change

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