• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.339-354
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• 2010

In this study, diurnal and intra-seasonal variations of summertime temperature lapse rate (TLR) by synoptic weather conditions in a mountainous basin are examined based on hourly temperature data observed in 2009 summer at an Automatic Weather Station (AWS) network deployed in Haean basin (called Punch Bowl), Yanggu in the Republic of Korea. Summertime average TLR between the top and bottom of the basin is $-0.53^{\circ}C$/100m. Due to its diurnal variations, TLR shows the lowest by $-0.25^{\circ}C$/100m at 6AM, while it maximizes up to $-0.85^{\circ}C$/100m between 4PM~5PM. Comparisons of daily average TLRs by synoptic weather patterns reveal that the magnitude of TLRs is greatest in the order of rainy days ($-0.63^{\circ}C$/100m), heavy rainfall days ($-0.53^{\circ}C$/100m), partly cloudy days ($-0.47^{\circ}C$/100m), and sunny days ($-0.39^{\circ}C$/100m). At dawn on sunny days in summer, strong cooling pools accompanying temperature inversion layers are formed within the basin, while on heavy rainfall days, warming pools are observed due to relatively low TLRs associated with the reduction of surface radiation cooling by clouds.