• Atmosphere
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.171-182
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• 2008

In this study, we analyzed the spatial and temporal distribution of wind resources over Korea based on hourly observational data recorded over a period of 5 years from 457 stations belonging to Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). The surface and 850 hPa wind data obtained from the Korea Local Analysis and Prediction System (KLAPS) and the Regional Data Assimilation and Prediction System (RDAPS) over a period of 1 year are used as supplementary data sources. Wind speed is generally high over seashores, mountains, and islands. In 62 (13.5%) stations, mean wind speeds for 5 years are greater than $3ms^{-1}$. The effects of seasonal wind, land-sea breeze, and mountain-valley winds on wind resources over Korea are evaluated as follows: First, wind is weak during summer, particularly over the Sobaek Mountains. However, over the coastal region of the Gyeongnam-province, strong southwesterly winds are observed during summer owing to monsoon currents. Second, the wind speed decreases during night-time, particularly over the west coast, where the direction of the land breeze is opposite to that of the large-scale westerlies. Third, winds are not always strong over seashores and highly elevated areas. The wind speed is weaker over the seashore of the Gyeonggi-province than over the other seashores. High wind speed has been observed only at 5 stations out of the 22 high-altitude stations. Detailed information on the wind resources conditions at the 21 stations (15 inland stations and 6 island stations) with high wind speed in Korea, such as the mean wind speed, frequency of wind speed available (WSA) for electricity generation, shape and scale parameters of Weibull distribution, constancy of wind direction, and wind power density (WPD), have also been provided. Among total stations in Korea, the best possible wind resources for electricity generation are available at Gosan in Jeju Island (mean wind speed: $7.77ms^{-1}$, WSA: 92.6%, WPD: $683.9Wm^{-2}$) and at Mt. Gudeok in Busan (mean wind speed: $5.66ms^{-1}$, WSA: 91.0%, WPD: $215.7Wm^{-2}$).