• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.324-336
• /
• 2008

This paper examines the recent changes of summer precipitation in the aspect of temporal and spatial features using long-term($1958{\sim}2007$) observed station data over South Korea. tong-term mean summer precipitation has revealed two precipitation peaks during summer(June to September); one is the Changma as the first peak, and the other is the post-Changma as the second peak. During the Changma period, the spatial distribution of the maximum precipitation areas is determined by the prevailing southwesterlies and the quasi-stationary front, which results in large amount of precipitation at the windward side of mountain regions over South Korea. However during the post-Changma period, the spatial distribution of the maximum precipitation areas is determined by the lower tropospheric circulation flows from the west and the southeast around the Korean peninsula, and the weather phenomena such as Typhoons, convective instability, and cyclones which are originated from the Yangtze river. The larger amount of precipitation is founded on the southern coastal region and mountain and coastal areas in Korea during the second peak. Time series of total summer precipitation shows a steady increase and the increasing trend is more obvious during the recent 10 years. Decadal variation in summer precipitation indicates a large increase of precipitation, especially in the recent 10 years both in the Changma and the post-Changma period. However, the magnitude of change and the period of the maximum peak presents remarkable contrasts among stations. The most distinct decadal change occurs at Seoul, Busan, and Gangnueng. The precipitation amount is increasing significantly during the post-Changma period at Gangnueng, while the precipitation increases in the period between two maximum precipitation peaks during summer at Seoul and Busan.

• Atmosphere
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.401-413
• /
• 2012

In this study, an investigation has been carried out to understand 1) temporal variation of rainfall amount in summer over south Korea during the 30-year period of 1979-2008 and 2) the relationship between the variation of rainfall amount and the change of large-scale monsoon circulation around 1993/1994 over East Asia. The analysis of rainfall amount is carried out separately for whole summer (June-August), climatological Changma period of 23 June-23 July, and August to consider variations within summer. To relate the variation of rainfall amount with the change of large-scale circulation, we have considered two 15-year periods of 1979-1993 and 1994-2008. This study has used observations at 58 stations in South Korea and NCEP-NCAR $2.5^{\circ}{\times}2.5^{\circ}$ reanalysis data. The major change in synoptic environment for the Changma period is characterized by the intensified anticyclone over Mongolia during 1994-2008, which results in a weak meridional oscillation of Changma front. As a result, rainfall amount for the Changma period and the frequency of extreme events have significantly increased after 1993/1994. A major change of synoptic environment for August is the significant westward extension of the western Pacific subtropical high, which allows not only more moisture transports but also stronger cyclonic circulation over the Korean peninsula. Rainfall amount for August and frequency of extreme events have also increased after 1993/1994. However, variability of rainfall amount is larger for August than that for the Changma period, with some years showing very dry August (monthly rainfall amount less than 150 mm).

• Atmosphere
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.221-228
• /
• 2011

The nonlinear characteristics of summer monsoon intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) in precipitation, which is manifested as fluctuations in convection and circulation, is one of the major difficulty on the prediction of East Asian summer monsoon (EASM). The present study aims to identify the spatial distribution and time evolution of nonlinear phases of monsoon ISO. In order to classify the different phases of monsoon ISO, Self-Organizing Map(SOM) known as a nonlinear pattern recognition technique is used. SOM has a great attractiveness detecting self-similarity among data elements by grouping and clustering such self-similar components. The four important patterns are demonstrated as Meiyu-Baiu, Changma, post-Changma, and dry-spell modes. It is found that SOM well captured the formation of East Asian monsoon trough during early summer and its northward migration together with enhanced convection over subtropical western Pacific and regionally intensive precipitation including Meiyu, Changma and Baiu. The classification of fundamental large scale spatial pattern and evolutionary history of nonlinear phases of monsoon ISO provides the source of predictability for extended-range forecast of summer precipitation.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.277-290
• /
• 2011

Changes of the characteristics in summer rainfall in the Republic of Korea by the regime shift and their causes were examined by analyzing long-term observational data. There has been an abrupt increase in rainfall variability since 1998, which was mainly due to the enhanced rainfall during August~September, although the gradual increase was also detected in June~July. In June~July, the enhanced rainfall developed as a band type covering the whole East Asia while in August~September, it is only found over the Republic of Korea with the greatest increase of 130 mm over Seoul and Gyeonggi area. The two intensified anticyclonic anomalies over the north-northwest/east of the Republic of Korea resulted in producing northerlies/southeasterlies, transporting cold/warm-wet air flows, respectively. The center of the convergence zone from the two separate systems located in the Republic of Korea, leading to a favorable condition for the development of the extreme rainfall. The enhanced barotropic anticyclonic anomalies also affected in warming the sea surface temperature anomalies covering from the eastern coast of East Asia to North Pacific Ocean, which in turn leaded to enhance warm air transporting back to the Republic of Korea.