• Atmosphere
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.333-341
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• 2010

The stratiform rain fraction is investigated in the tropical boreal winter Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) and summer intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) using Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Rader data for the 11-yr period from 1998 to 2008. Composite analysis shows that the MJO/ISO produces larger stratiform rain rate than convective rain rate for nearly all phases following the propagating MJO/ISO deep clouds, with the greatest stratiform rainfall amount when the MJO/ISO center is located over the central-eastern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific. The fraction of the intraseasonally filtered stratiform rainfall compared to total rainfall (i.e., convective plus stratiform rainfall) amounts to 53~56%, which is 13~16% larger than the stratiform rain fraction estimated for the same data on seasonal-to-annual time scales by Schumacher and Houze. This indicates that the MJO/ISO exhibits the organized rainfall process which is characterized by the shallow convection/heating at the incipient phase and the subsequent flare-up of strong deep convection, followed by the development of stratiform clouds at the upper troposphere.

• Atmosphere
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.67-83
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• 2015

Predicting the location and intensity of precipitation still remains a main issue in numerical weather prediction (NWP). Resolution is a very important component of precipitation forecasts in NWP. Compared with a lower resolution model, a higher resolution model can predict small scale (i.e., storm scale) precipitation and depict convection structures more precisely. In addition, an ensemble technique can be used to improve the precipitation forecast because it can estimate uncertainties associated with forecasts. Therefore, NWP using both a higher resolution model and ensemble technique is expected to represent inherent uncertainties of convective scale motion better and lead to improved forecasts. In this study, the limited area ensemble prediction system for the convective-scale (i.e., high resolution) operational Unified Model (UM) in Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) was developed and evaluated for the ensemble forecasts during August 2012. The model domain covers the limited area over the Korean Peninsula. The high resolution limited area ensemble prediction system developed showed good skill in predicting precipitation, wind, and temperature at the surface as well as meteorological variables at 500 and 850 hPa. To investigate which combination of horizontal resolution and ensemble member is most skillful, the system was run with three different horizontal resolutions (1.5, 2, and 3 km) and ensemble members (8, 12, and 16), and the forecasts from the experiments were evaluated. To assess the quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF) skill of the system, the precipitation forecasts for two heavy rainfall cases during the study period were analyzed using the Fractions Skill Score (FSS) and Probability Matching (PM) method. The PM method was effective in representing the intensity of precipitation and the FSS was effective in verifying the precipitation forecast for the high resolution limited area ensemble prediction system in KMA.

• Atmosphere
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.97-109
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• 2016

Heavy rainfall (over $80mm\;hr^{-1}$) system associated with unstable atmospheric conditions occurred over the Seoul metropolitan area on 27 July 2011. To investigate the heavy rainfall system, we used three-dimensional data from Korea Local Analysis and Prediction System (KLAPS) reanalysis data and analysed the structure of the precipitation system, kinematic characteristics, thermodynamic properties, and Meteorological condition. The existence of Upper-Level Jet (ULJ) and Low-Level Jet (LLJ) are accelerated the heavy rainfall. Convective cloud developed when a strong southwesterly LLJ and strong moisture convergence occurring around the time of the heavy rainfall is consistent with the results of previous studies on such continuous production. Environmental conditions included high equivalent potential temperature of over 355 K at low levels, and low equivalent potential temperature of under 330 K at middle levels, causing vertical instability. The tip of the band shaped precipitation system was made up of line-shaped convective systems (LSCSs) that caused flooding and landslides, and the LSCSs were continuously enhanced by merging between new cells and the pre-existing cell. Difference of wind direction between low and middle levels has also been considered an important factor favouring the occurrence of precipitation systems similar to LSCSs. Development of LSCs from the wind direction difference at heights of the severe precipitation occurrence area was also identified. This study can contribute to the identification of production and development mechanisms of heavy rainfall and can be used in applied research for prediction of severe weather.

• Atmosphere
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.455-466
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• 2017

In Korea, property and human damages occur annually due to heavy precipitation during the summer. On August 8, 2015, heavy rainfall occurred in the Seoul metropolitan area due to an outflow boundary, and $77mmhr^{-1}$ rainfall was recorded in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. In this study, the simulation of the WRF numerical model is performed to understand the cause and characteristics of heavy rainfall using the Conditional Instability of the Second Kind (CISK), potential vorticity (PV), frontogenesis function, and convective available potential energy (CAPE) analyses, etc. Convective cells initiated over the Shandong Peninsula and located on the downwind side of an upper level trough. Large amounts of water vapor were supplied to the Shandong Peninsula along the southwestern edge of a high pressure system, and from the remnants of typhoon Soudelor. The mesoscale convective system (MCS) developed through CISK process and moved over to the Yellow Sea. The outflow boundary from the MCS progressed east and pushed cold pool eastward. The warm and humid air over the Korean Peninsula further enhanced convective development. As a result, a new MCS developed rapidly over land. Because of the latent heat release due to convection and precipitation, strong potential vorticity was generated in the lower atmosphere. The rapid development of MCS and the heavy rainfall occurred in an area where the CAPE value was greater than $1300Jkg^{-1}$ and the fronto-genesis function value of 1.5 or greater coincided. The analysis result shows that the MCS driven by an outflow boundary can be identified using CISK process.

• Atmosphere
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.141-158
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• 2016

The objective of this study is to examine the impact of urban canopy and the horizontal resolution on simulated meteorological variables such as 10-m wind speed, 2-m temperature and precipitation using WRF model for a local, convective rainfall case. We performed four sensitivity tests by varying the use of urban canopy model (UCM) and the horizontal resolution, then compared the model results with observations of AWS network. The focus of our study is over the Seoul metropolitan area for a convective rainfall that occurred on 16 August 16 2015. The analysis shows that mean diurnal variation of temperature is better simulated by the model runs with UCM before the convective rainfall. However, after rainfall, model shows significant difference in air temperature among sensitivity tests depending on the simulated rainfall amount. The rainfall amount is significantly underestimated in 0.5 km resolution model run compared to 1.5 km resolution, particularly over the urban areas. This is due to earlier occurrence of light rainfall in 0.5 km resolution model. Earlier light rainfall in the afternoon eliminates convective instability significantly, which prevents occurrence of rainfall later in the evening. The use of UCM results in a higher maximum rainfall in the domain, which is due to higher temperature in model runs with urban canopy. Earlier occurrence of rainfall in 0.5 km resolution model is related to rapid growth of PBL. Enhanced mixing and higher temperature result in rapid growth of PBL, which provides more favorable conditions for convection in the 0.5 km resolution run with urban canopy. All sensitivity tests show dry bias, which also contributes to the occurrence of light precipitation throughout the simulation period.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aviation and Aeronautics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.40-47
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• 2014

Heavy Rainfall event accompanying with Mesoscale Convective Systems(MCSs) inducing flash flooding and Muan and Kunsan Airport closing over Jeollabuk-do area was investigated this study. Comparing to previous study(I), this heavy rainfall event was characterized by much abundant moisture from Typhoon, strong conditional convective instability, and cluster type MCSs. It almost impossible to make accurate forecasting of precipitation amounts and life cycle of MCSs unless proper analysis.

• Atmosphere
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.125-139
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• 2020

On 6 August 2018, heavy rainfall of daily precipitation of more than 200 mm occurred in the Yeong-dong coastal area, and especially, 1-hour precipitation of 93 mm (0251~0351 LST (local standard time) 6 August) at Gangneung station, ranked second in the history of meteorological survey of the station. In this study, this heavy rainfall case over the Gangneung area would be studied to investigate the process in which the heavy rainfall occurred. A developed ridge moved toward the Yeong-dong coastal area from the Maritime Province in Russia. The approaching of the ridge led to the northeasterly cold wind over the coastal region, causing the collision between the incoming northeasterly cold wind, and the humid and warm (convectively unstable) air located over the Yeong-dong area. This collision led to a strong convergence (maximum -206 × 10^-5 s^-1) at 925 hPa level over the vicinity of Gangneung at 0300 LST 6 August, resulting updraft of up to about 4.4 m s^-1 at 700 hPa level over the area. This strong updraft forced to lift rapidly the convectively unstable, warm and humid air layer, located over the vicinity of Gangneung, leading to the heavy rainfall (1-hour precipitation of 93 mm) over the area.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.465-474
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• 2009

Convective/stratiform radar echo classification schemes by Steiner et al. (1995) and Biggerstaff and Listemaa (2000) are examined on a monsoonal front during the summer monsoon-Changma period, which is organized as a cloud cluster with mesoscale convective complex. Target radar is S-band with wavelength of 10cm, spatial resolution of 1km, elevation angle interval of 0.5-1.0 degree, and minimum elevation angle of 0.19 degree at Jindo over the Korean Peninsula. For verification of rainfall amount retrieved from the echo classification, ground-based rain gauge observations (Automatic Weather Stations) are examined, converting the radar echo grid data to the station values using the inverse distance weighted method. Improvement from the echo classification is evaluated based on the correlation coefficient and the scattered diagram. Additionally, an optimal use method was designed to produce combined rainfalls from the radar echo and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Precipitation Radar (TRMM/PR) data. Optimal values for the radar rain and TRMM/PR rain are inversely weighted according to the error variance statistics for each single station. It is noted how the rainfall distribution during the summer monsoon frontal system is improved from the classification of convective/stratiform echo and the use of the optimal use technique.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.345-359
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• 2016

This study analyze the synoptic meteorological cause of rainfall, rainfall intensity, drop size distribution(DSD), fall velocity and oblateness measured by the 2D-Video distrometer(2DVD) by comparing two cases which are heavy rainfall event case and a case that is not classified as heavy rainfall but having more than $30mm\;h^{-1}$ rainrate in July, 2014 at Gimhae region. As a results; Over the high pressure edge area where strong upward motion exists, the convective rain type occurred and near the changma front, convective and frontal rainfall combined rain type occurred. Therefore, rainrate varies based on the synoptic meteorological condition. The most rain drop distribution appeared in the raindrops with diameters between 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm and large particles appeared for the convective rain type since strong upward motion provide favorable conditions for the drops to grow by colliding and merging so the drop size distribution varies based on the location or rainfall types. The rainfall phases is mainly rain and as the diameter of the raindrop increase the fall velocity increase and oblateness decrease. The equation proposed based on the 2DVD tends to underestimated both fall velocity and oblateness compared with observation. Since these varies based on the rainfall characteristics of the observation location, standard equation for fall velocity and oblateness fit for Gimhae area can be developed by continuous observation and data collection hereafter.

• Atmosphere
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.187-200
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• 2018

The heavy snowfall phenomenon with thunder and lightning occurred in Yeongdong coastal region on 20 January 2017. Amount of snow on that day was a maximum of 47 cm and was concentrated in a short time (2 hours) at the Yeongdong coastal area. The mechanism of thundersnow was investigated to describe in detail using observational data and numerical simulation (Weather Research and Forecast, WRF) applied lightning option. The results show that a convective cloud occurred at the Yeongdong coastal area. The east wind flow was generated and the pressure gradient force was maximized by the rapidly developed cyclone. The cold and dry air in the upper atmosphere has descended (so called tropopause folding) atmospheric lower layer at precipitation peak time (1200 LST). In addition, latent heat in the lower atmosphere layer and warm sea surface temperature caused thermal instability. The convective cloud caused by the strong thermal instability was developed up to 6 km at that time. And the backdoor cold front was determined by the change characteristics of meteorological elements and shear line in the east sea. Instability indexes such as Total totals Index (TT) and Lightning Potential Index (LPI) are also confirmed as one of good predictability indicates for the explosive precipitation of convective rainfall.