광주 · 전남지방에서 강설발생의 기후학적 특성 연구

Abstract

ABSTRACT

A Study on Climatological Characteristics of Snowfall Occurrence over the Gwangju and Jeonnam Region

Kim Jin-A Advisor : Prof. Ryu, Chan-Su, Ph.D. Department of Atmospheric Science, Graduate School of Chosun University

Snowfall has diverse effects on the human life. To ensure the water resources in winter and to address the heavy snowfall damages, it is important to identify the characteristics of the winter snowfall in Korea. In this study, the patterns and trends of snowfall were studied using the snowfall-related statistical characteristics based on the fresh snow cover data of the Gwangju and Jeollanam-do area for 30 years (1981-2010), which is one of the representative heavy snowfall areas. In addition, the synoptic environment was analyzed by classifying the surface pressure types of the snowfall days, and the recent snowfall frequency trend was examined via the wavelet analysis for the snowfall days and amounts for 30 years. The atmospheric circulation characteristic was identified for the years with high and low snowfall frequencies. The number of snowfall days of the Gwangju and Jeollanam-do area was 66 days/year, with the highest number in January. The snowfall amount was increasing, and was highest in December. This was because December has Siberian High and troughs of pressure, and is influenced by the relatively warm sea surface temperature. The surface pressure types of the snowfall days were largely classified into three types: Siberian highs, migrating highs and cyclones. There were 31 Siberian highs with the highest snowfall amount of 15.7 cm. The light snowfall areas such as Yeosu, Goheung and the areas along the south coast had relatively high snowfall amounts when they were influenced by cyclones. According to the frequency analysis for 30 years, the snowfall day frequency was five years, and the snowfall amount frequency was three years. In addition, the snowfall frequency was high when Gwangju and Jeollanam-do area was influenced by strong Siberian high, northwesterly wind and chill. Meanwhile, the snowfall frequency was low when a wind drift distance was not established for the Siberian high to the Gwangju and Jeollanam-do area or when there was an effect of the northeast air current. Accordingly, even in the same air pressure distribution, the snowfall frequency of the Gwangju and Jeollanam-do area varied according to additional conditions, including the air current and its direction, wind speed and sea surface temperature. The snowfall distribution and occurrence patterns are increasingly varied and become stronger in the Gwangju and Jeollanam-do area, and further quantitative studies by detailed areas are needed on the diverse climatic elements and snowfall occurrence mechanism.