• Atmosphere
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.405-420
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• 2021

Forest fire happens every year at Yeongdong, Gangwon-do, due to the strong local wind during the spring time and it causes a huge damage. This wind is named "Yangganjipung" or "Yanggangjipung" that blows along Yeongdong. However, the occurrence conditions of the wind have been still unclear. To identify the occurrence mechanism of local strong wind through three-dimensional observation data, Gangwon Regional Meteorological Administration performed Joint Gangwon-Yeongdong 3D Observation Project in 2020. The special observation was carried out for 6 times from March to April. The observation data was analyzed by focusing on the structure of synoptic pressure distribution and inversion layer. The result showed that the strength of wind is different depending on the latitude of low pressure, intensity of inversion layer, and changes on height in the south-high and north-low pressure distribution. As the interval of the upper and lower parts of the inversion layer was narrow, the strength of the wind became stronger, which is one of the observational characteristics of the springtime wind pattern at Yeongdong, Gangwon-do. In future, the clear mechanism of the local wind in the Yeongdong during the spring time is expected to be verified based on the accumulative observation data and close analysis.

• Atmosphere
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.377-394
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• 2021

The recent largest forest fire in the Yeongdong region, Goseung/Okgae fires of 2019 occurred during YangGang wind event. The wind can be locally gusty and extremely dry, particularly in the complex terrain of Yeongdong. These winds can cause and/or rapidly spread wildfires, the threat of which is serious during the dry spring season. This study examines the spatial variability of the surface wind and its coupling with the upper atmospheric wind using the data during the IOP of the Gangwon Yeongdong Wind Experiments (G-WEX) conducted in 2020 and the data during YangGang wind event on 4~5 April 2019. In the case of IOPs, strong wind at the surface with a constant wind direction appears in the mountain area, and weak wind with large variability in wind direction appears from foothill to the coast in the vicinity of Gangneung region. However, in the 2019 event, strong wind at the surface with a constant wind direction appears in the entire region from the mountain to the coast, even with the stronger wind in the coast than in some part of the mountain area. The characteristics of the upper atmospheric wind related with the spatial distribution of surface wind show that during IOPs of G-WEX, a strong downdraft exists near the mountaintop in the level of about 1 to 4 km. However, in the 2019 event a strong downdraft is reinforced, when its location moves toward the coast and descends close to the ground. These downdrafts are generated by the breaking of mountain waves.

• Atmosphere
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.433-443
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• 2021

The wind speed and wind direction in Yeongdong are one of the crucial meteorological factors for forecasting snowfall in this area. To improve the snowfall forecast in Yeongdong region, Yeongdong Extreme Snowfall-Windstorm Experiment, YES-WEX was designed. We examined the wind field variation simulated with Local Data Assimilation and Prediction System (LDAPS) using observed wind field during YES-WEX period. The simulated wind speed was overestimated over the East Sea and especially 2 to 4 times in the coastal line. The vertical wind in Yeongdong region, which is a crucial factor in the snowfall forecast, was not well simulated at the low level (850 hPa~1000 hPa) until 12 hours before the forecast. The snowfall distribution was also not accurately simulated. Three hours after the snowfall on the East Sea coast was observed, the snowfall was simulated. To improve the forecast accuracy of snowfall in Yeongdong region, it is important to understand the weather conditions using the observed and simulated data. In the future, data in the northern part of the East Sea and the mountain slope of Taebaek observed from the meteorological aircraft, ship, and drone would help in understanding the snowfall phenomenon and improving forecasts.

• Atmosphere
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.361-376
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• 2021

"Gangwon Yeongdong Wind Experiments (G-WEX) Pilot Study: Downslope windstorms in the Taebaek Mountains, South Korea" is promoted based on joint organization by Gangwon Regional Office of Meteorology and National Institute of Meteorological Research and participation by 12 institutions to understand the mechanism in development of Yeongdong wind phenomena. The special observation (G-WEX) involved total of 5 intensive observations in March 2020 and April 2020. To collect the data necessary for the research on Yeongdong wind phenomena, (1) high-resolution surface observation network was used to examine surface wind and (2) atmospheric soundings were observed by using Rawinsonde, Wind profiler, Wind Lidar, and Drone. This study covers the detailed information on the special observational experiments for downslope windstorms in the leeward of the Taebaek Mountains, named as the Yeongdong wind, including the observational strategies, experimental designs, and pilot studies during the Intensified Observing Period (IOPs). According to 2020 G-WEX observation results, downslope windstorms were observed in 2~3 km of upper atmosphere when the strong winds happened around the top of the mountain near Daegwallyeong. Also, dry adiabatic expansion related to downslope windstorms caused temperature rise and led to formation of an inversion layer in altitude below 2.5 km. Bands of strong wind were located right under the altitude where downslope windstorms are observed with temporal rise of the temperature. As these are preliminary observation results, there needs to be continuous related researches and high-resolution weather observation.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.182-193
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• 2017

A typical snowfall pattern occurs over the east coastal region of the Korean Peninsula, known as the Yeongdong region. The precipitation over the Yeongdong region is influenced by the cold and dry northeasterly wind which advects over warm and moist sea surface of the East Sea of Korea. This study reveals the influence of large-scale factors, affecting local to remote areas, on the mesoscale snowfall system over the Yeongdong region. The National Centers for Environmental Prediction-Department of Energy reanalysis dataset, Extended Reconstructed sea surface temperature, and observed snowfall data are analyzed to reveal the relationship between February snowfall and large-scale factors from 1981 to 2014. The Yeongdong snowfall is associated with the sea level pressure patterns over the Gaema Plateau and North Pacific near the Bering Sea, which is remotely associated to the sea surface temperature (SST) variability over the North Pacific. It is presented that the relationship between the Yeongdong snowfall and large-scale factors is strengthened after 1999 when the central north Pacific has warm anomalous SST. These enhanced relationships explain the atmospheric patterns of recent strong snowfall years (2010, 2011, and 2014). It is suggested that the newly defined index in this study based on related SST variability can be used for a seasonal predictor of the Yeongdong snowfall with 2-month leading.

• Atmosphere
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.57-71
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• 2012

Influences of orographic and ocean effect, which depend on the detailed geographic characteristics, upon winter time (December-February) precipitation in the Yeongdong region are investigated. Most of precipitation events in the Yeongdong region during the wintertime are associated with moist northeasterly (coming from the northeast direction) winds and also the spatial distribution of precipitation shows a great difference between Mountain area (Daegwallyeong) and Coastal area (Gangneung). The linear correlation coefficient between the meteorological variables obtained from NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis Data and precipitation amount for each precipitation type is calculated. Mountain type precipitation is dominated by northeasterly wind speed of the low level (1000 hPa and 925 hPa) and characterized with more precipitation in mountain area than coastal area. However, Coastal type precipitation is affected by temperature difference between ocean and atmosphere, and characterized with more precipitation in coastal area than mountain area. The results are summarized as follows; In the case of mountain type precipitation, the correlation coefficient between wind speed at 1000 hPa (925 hPa) and precipitation amount at Daegwallyeong is 0.60 (0.61). The correlation is statistical significant at 1% level. In the case of coastal type precipitation, the correlation coefficient of temperature difference between ocean and 925 hPa (850 hPa) over the East sea area and precipitation amount at Gangneung is 0.33 (0.34). As for the mountain type precipitation, a detailed analysis was conducted in order to verify the relationship between precipitation amount at Daegwallyeong and low level wind speed data from wind profiler in Gangneung and Buoy in the East Sea. The results also show the similar behavior. This result indicates that mountain type precipitation in the Yeongdong region is closely related with easterly wind speed. Thus, the statistical analysis of the few selected meteorological variables can be a good indicator to estimate the precipitation totals in the Yeongdong region in winter time.

• Atmosphere
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.325-342
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• 2019

Precipitation and no-precipitation events under the influence of the Siberian high pressure system in Yeondong region, were analysed and classified as four types [obvious precipitation event (OP) type, obvious no-precipitation event (ON) type, ambiguous precipitation event (AP) type and ambiguous no-precipitation event (AN) type], according to the easiness in determining whether to have precipitation or not in Yeongdong region, to help in improving the forecast skill. Concerning the synoptic pressure pattern, for OP type, the ridge of Siberian high extends from Lake Baikal toward Northeast China, and there is a northerly wind upstream of the northern mountain complex (located near the Korean-Chinese border). On the other hand, for ON type, the ridge of Siberian high extends southeastward from Lake Baikal, and there is a westerly wind upstream of the northern mountain complex. The pressure pattern of AP type was similar to the OP type and that of AN type was also similar to ON type. Thus it was difficult to differentiate AP type and OP type and AN type and ON type based on the synoptic pressure pattern only. The four types were determined by U (wind speed normal to the Taebaek mountains) and Froude number (FN). That is, for OP type, average FN and U at Yeongdong coast are ~2.0 and ${\sim}6m\;s^{-1}$, and those at Yeongseo region are 0.0 and $0.1m\;s^{-1}$, respectively. On the contrary, for ON type, average FN and U at Yeongdong coast are 0.0 and $0.2m\;s^{-1}$, and those at Yeongseo region are ~1.0 and ${\sim}4m\;s^{-1}$, respectively. For AP type, average FN and U at Yeongdong coast are ~1.0 and ${\sim}4m\;s^{-1}$, and those at Yeongseo region are 0.0 and $0.2m\;s^{-1}$, whereas for AN type, average FN and U at Yeongdong coast are 0.1 and $0.6m\;s^{-1}$ and those at Yeongseo region are ~1.0 and ${\sim}3m\;s^{-1}$, respectively. Based on the result, a schematic diagram for each type was suggested.

• Atmosphere
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.395-404
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• 2021

In order to investigate downslope windstorm by using more detailed observation, we observed 6 cases at 3 sites - Inje, Yongpyeong, and Bukgangneung - during "3-D Meteorological Observation Project in Yeongdong region of Gangwon province, South Korea in 2020." The results from analysis of the project data were as follows. First, AWS data showed that a subsidence inversion layer appeared in 800~700 hPa on the windward side and 900~850 hPa on the leeward side. Second, before strong wind occurred, the inversion layer had descended to about 880~800 hPa. Third, with mountain wave breaking, downslope wind was intensified at the height of 2~3 km above sea level. After the downslope wind began to descend, the subsidence inversion layer developed. When the subsidence inversion layer got close to the ground, wind peak occurred. In general, UM (Unified Model) GDAPS (Global Data Assimilation Prediction System) have had negative bias in wind speed around peak area of Taebaek mountain range, and positive bias in that of East Sea coast area. The stronger wind blew, the larger the gap between observed and predicted wind speed by GDAPS became. GDAPS predicted strong p-velocity at 0600 LST 25 Apr 2020 (4^th case) and weak p-velocity at 2100 LST 01 Jun 2020 (6^th case) on the lee-side of Taebaek mountain range near Yangyang. As hydraulic jump theory was proved, which is known as a mechanism of downslope windstorm in Yeongdong region, it was confirmed that there is a relationship between p-velocity of lee-side and wind speed of eastern slope of Taebaek mountain range.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.315-329
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• 2015

We investigated the characteristics of meteorological conditions related to the strong downslope wind over the leeward side of the Taebaek Mountains during the period 2005~2010. The days showing the strong wind exceeding $14ms^{-1}$ in Gangwon province were selected as study cases. A total of 15 days of strong wind were observed at Sokcho, Gangneung, Donghae, and Taebaek located over the Yeongdong region. Seven cases related to tropical cyclone (3 cases) and heavy snowfall (2 cases) and heavy rainfall (2 cases) over the Yeongdong region were excluded. To investigate the characteristics of the remaining 8 cases, we used synoptic weather chart, Sokcho radiosonde, Gangneung wind profiler and numerical model. The cases showed no precipitation (or ${\leq}1mm\;day^{-1}$). From the surface and upper level weather chart, we found the pressure distribution of southern high and northern low pattern over the Korean peninsula and warm ridge over the Yeongdong region. Inversion layer (or stable layer) and warm ridge with strong wind were located in about 1~3 km (925~700 hPa) over mountains. The Regional Data Assimilation and Prediction System (RDAPS) indicated that warm core and temperature ridge with horizontal temperature gradient were $0.10{\sim}0.23^{\circ}C\;km^{-1}$ which were located on 850 hPa pressure level above mountaintop. These results were summarized as a forecasting guidance of downslope windstorm in the Yeongdong region.

• Atmosphere
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.367-386
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• 2008

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was designed to identify the role of the Taebaek Mountains in the occurrence of heavy snowfall in Yeongdong area with a strong northeast wind on January 20-21, 2008. To this end, in addition to the control simulation with the realistic distribution of the Taebaek Mountains, a sensitivity experiment that removed the orography over the Taebaek Mountains was performed. The control simulation results showed that the resulting wind field and precipitation distribution were similar to what were observed. Results from the sensitivity experiment clearly demonstrates the presence of orographic lifting on the windward slope of the mountains. It is concluded that the altitude of the Taebaek Mountains is the main controlling factor in determining the distribution and amount of precipitation in the Yeongdong area for the case of heavy snowfall in January 2008.