Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

An Observational Study of Mesoscale Convective Systems with Heavy Rainfall over the Korean Peninsula

Hyung Woo Kim Atmospheric Sciences Program, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea

Search for other papers by Hyung Woo Kim in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
and
Dong Kyou Lee Atmospheric Sciences Program, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea

Search for other papers by Dong Kyou Lee in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
Print Publication:
01 Apr 2006
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/WAF912.1
Page(s):
125–148
Restricted access

Abstract

A heavy rainfall event induced by mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) occurred over the middle Korean Peninsula from 25 to 27 July 1996. This heavy rainfall caused a large loss of life and property damage as a result of flash floods and landslides. An observational study was conducted using Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) data from 0930 UTC 26 July to 0303 UTC 27 July 1996. Dominant synoptic features in this case had many similarities to those in previous studies, such as the presence of a quasi-stationary frontal system, a weak upper-level trough, sufficient moisture transportation by a low-level jet from a tropical storm landfall, strong potential and convective instability, and strong vertical wind shear. The thermodynamic characteristics and wind shear presented favorable conditions for a heavy rainfall occurrence. The early convective cells in the MCSs initiated over the coastal area, facilitated by the mesoscale boundaries of the land–sea contrast, rain–no rain regions, saturated–unsaturated soils, and steep horizontal pressure and thermal gradients. Two MCSs passed through the heavy rainfall regions during the investigation period. The first MCS initiated at 1000 UTC 26 July and had the characteristics of a supercell storm with small amounts of precipitation, the appearance of a mesocyclone with tilting storm, a rear-inflow jet at the midlevel of the storm, and fast forward propagation. The second MCS initiated over the upstream area of the first MCS at 1800 UTC 26 July and had the characteristics of a multicell storm, such as a broken areal-type squall line, slow or quasi-stationary backward propagation, heavy rainfall in a concentrated area due to the merging of the convective storms, and a stagnated cluster system. These systems merged and stagnated because their movement was blocked by the Taebaek Mountain Range, and they continued to develop because of the vertical wind shear resulting from a low-level easterly inflow.

Corresponding author address: Dong Kyou Lee, Atmospheric Science Program, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National University, Sinrimdong, Kwanakgu, Seoul 151-742, South Korea. Email: dklee@snu.ac.kr

Abstract

A heavy rainfall event induced by mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) occurred over the middle Korean Peninsula from 25 to 27 July 1996. This heavy rainfall caused a large loss of life and property damage as a result of flash floods and landslides. An observational study was conducted using Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) data from 0930 UTC 26 July to 0303 UTC 27 July 1996. Dominant synoptic features in this case had many similarities to those in previous studies, such as the presence of a quasi-stationary frontal system, a weak upper-level trough, sufficient moisture transportation by a low-level jet from a tropical storm landfall, strong potential and convective instability, and strong vertical wind shear. The thermodynamic characteristics and wind shear presented favorable conditions for a heavy rainfall occurrence. The early convective cells in the MCSs initiated over the coastal area, facilitated by the mesoscale boundaries of the land–sea contrast, rain–no rain regions, saturated–unsaturated soils, and steep horizontal pressure and thermal gradients. Two MCSs passed through the heavy rainfall regions during the investigation period. The first MCS initiated at 1000 UTC 26 July and had the characteristics of a supercell storm with small amounts of precipitation, the appearance of a mesocyclone with tilting storm, a rear-inflow jet at the midlevel of the storm, and fast forward propagation. The second MCS initiated over the upstream area of the first MCS at 1800 UTC 26 July and had the characteristics of a multicell storm, such as a broken areal-type squall line, slow or quasi-stationary backward propagation, heavy rainfall in a concentrated area due to the merging of the convective storms, and a stagnated cluster system. These systems merged and stagnated because their movement was blocked by the Taebaek Mountain Range, and they continued to develop because of the vertical wind shear resulting from a low-level easterly inflow.

Corresponding author address: Dong Kyou Lee, Atmospheric Science Program, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National University, Sinrimdong, Kwanakgu, Seoul 151-742, South Korea. Email: dklee@snu.ac.kr

Save
Cover Weather and Forecasting
Weather and Forecasting

  • Bluestein, H. B., 1993: Observations and Theory of Weather Systems. Vol. II, Synoptic–Dynamic Meteorology in Midlatitudes, Oxford University Press, 594 pp.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Bluestein, H. B., and Jain M. H. , 1985: Formation of mesoscale lines of precipitation: Severe squall lines in Oklahoma during the spring. J. Atmos. Sci., 42 , 1711–1732.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Burgess, D., and Ray P. S. , 1986: Principle of radar. Mesoscale Meteorology and Forecasting, P. S. Ray, Ed., Amer. Meteor. Soc., 85–117.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Byun, H. R., 1995: The pattern classification of the heavy rains and its associated atmospheric circulation. Int. Workshop on Heavy Rainfall in East Asia, Seoul, South Korea, Atmospheric and Environmental Research Institute/Seoul National University and Korea Science and Engineering Foundation, 90–l0l.

  • Chappell, C. F., 1986: Quasi-stationary convective events. Mesoscale Meteorology and Forecasting, P. S. Ray, Ed., Amer. Meteor. Soc., 289–310.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Chun, J. K., and Oh M. L. , 1991: Presumption of the horizontal wind and divergence field using a single Doppler radar data. (in Korean). J. Kor. Meteor. Soc., 27 , 55–66.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Doswell C. A. III, , Ed. 2001: Severe Convective Storms. Meteor. Monogr., No. 50, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 570 pp.

    • Crossref
    • Export Citation

  • ERS, 2004: RAOB version 5.5 user’s guide and technical manual. Environmental Research Services, 102 pp.

  • Fritsch, J. M., and Forbes G. S. , 2001: Mesoscale convective systems. Severe Convective Storms, Meteor. Monogr., No. 50, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 323–357.

    • Crossref
    • Export Citation

  • Fulton, R. A., Breidenbach J. P. , Seo D. J. , Miller D. A. , and O’Bannon T. , 1998: The WSR88D rainfall algorithm. Wea. Forecasting, 13 , 377–395.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Funk, T., cited. 2004: Heavy convective rainfall forecasting: Parameters, processes, patterns, and rule of thumb. Science and Technology, NWS, Louisville, KY, 38 pp. [Available online at http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lmk/soo/presentations/heavy_rainfall_forecasting.pdf.].

  • Houze, R. A., Rutledge S. A. , Biggerstaff M. I. , and Smull B. F. , 1989: Interpretation of Doppler radar displays of midlatitude mesoscale convective systems. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 70 , 608–619.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Johnson, J. T., Mackeen P. L. , Witt A. , Mitchell E. D. , Stumpf G. J. , Eilts M. D. , and Thomas K. W. , 1998: The Storm Cell Identification and Tracking (SCIT) algorithm: An enhanced WSR-88D algorithm. Wea. Forecasting, 13 , 263–276.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Junker, N. W., Schnieder R. S. , and Fauver S. L. , 1999: A study of heavy rainfall events during the great Midwest flood of 1993. Wea. Forecasting, 14 , 701–712.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • KMA, 1996: Annual report (in Korean). Korea Meteorological Administration, 256 pp.

  • Lee, D. K., and Kim H. R. , 1995: Numerical simulation of 10 heavy rainfall cases over the Korean Peninsula. Int. Workshop on Heavy Rainfall in East Asia, Seoul, South Korea, Atmospheric and Environmental Research Institute/Seoul National University and Korea Science and Engineering Foundation, 114–133.

  • Lee, D. K., Kim H. R. , and Hong S. Y. , 1998: Heavy rainfall over Korea during 1980–1990. Kor. J. Atmos. Soc., 1 , 32–50.

  • Lee, M. S., and Lee D. K. , 2003: An application of a weakly constrained 4DVAR to satellite data assimilation and heavy rainfall simulation. Mon. Wea. Rev., 131 , 2151–2176.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Lemon, L. R., 1998: The radar “three-body scatter spike”: An operational large-hail signature. Wea. Forecasting, 13 , 327–340.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Lin, Y-L., Chiao S. , Wang T. A. , Kaplan M. L. , and Weglarz R. P. , 2001: Some common ingredients for heavy orographic rainfall. Wea. Forecasting, 16 , 633–660.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Moteki, Q., Uyeda H. , Maesaka T. , Shinoda T. , Yoshizaki M. , and Kato T. , 2004a: Structure and development of two merged rainbands observed over the East China Sea during X-BAIU-99. Part I: Meso-β-scale structure and development processes. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 82 , 19–44.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Moteki, Q., Uyeda H. , Maesaka T. , Shinoda T. , Yoshizaki M. , and Kato T. , 2004b: Structure and development of two merged rainbands observed over the East China Sea during X-BAIU-99. Part II: Meso-α-scale structure and build-up processes of convergence in the Baiu frontal region. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 82 , 45–65.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Moller, A. R., 2001: Severe local storms forecasting. Severe Convective Storms, Meteor. Monogr., No. 50, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 433–480.

    • Crossref
    • Export Citation

  • NWS, cited. 2004: Convective season environmental parameters and indices. Science and Technology, NWS, Louisville, KY. [Available online at http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lmk/soo/docu/indices.php.].

  • Seo, D-J., Breidenbach J. , Fulton R. , and Miller D. , 2000: Real-time adjustment of range-dependent biases in WSR-88D rainfall estimates due to nonuniform vertical profiles of reflectivity. J. Hydrometeor., 1 , 222–240.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Serafin, R., and Wilson J. W. , 2000: Operational weather radar in the United States: Progress and opportunity. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 81 , 501–518.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Shinoda, T., and Uyeda H. , 2002: Effective factors in the development of deep convective clouds over the wet region of eastern China during the summer monsoon season. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 80 , 1395–1414.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • SSAD, 1998: WATADS: Reference guide for version 10.0. Storm Scale Applications Division, National Severe Storms Laboratory, 72 pp. [Available from Storm Scale Applications Division, National Severe Storms Laboratory, 1313 Halley Circle, Norman, OK 73069.].

  • Stensrud, D. J., Gall R. L. , and Nordquist M. K. , 1997: Surges over the Gulf of California during the Mexican monsoon. Mon. Wea. Rev., 125 , 417–437.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Stumpf, G. J., Witt A. , Mitchell E. D. , Spencer P. L. , Johnson J. T. , Eilts M. D. , Thomas K. W. , and Burgess D. W. , 1998: The National Severe Storm Laboratory Mesocyclone Detection Algorithm (MDA) for the WSR-88D. Wea. Forecasting, 13 , 304–326.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Sun, J., and Lee T. Y. , 2002: A numerical study of an intense quasi-stationary convection band over the Korean Peninsula. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 80 , 1221––1245.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Takeda, T., and Takase K. , 1980: Radar observation of rainfall system modified by orographic effects. J. Meteor. Soc. Japan, 58 , 500–515.

  • UCAR, 2002: Heavy Precipitation and Flash Flooding. University Corporation for Atmospheric Research–Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education, and Training, Laser Disk. [Available from COMET, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000.].

  • Watanabe, H., and Ogura Y. , 1987: Effects of orographically forced upstream lifting on mesoscale heavy precipitation: A case study. J. Atmos. Sci., 44 , 661–675.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Wee, T. K., 1999: A cumulus parameterization based on cloud-resolving simulations of mesoscale convective systems (in Korean). Ph.D. thesis, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea, 308 pp.

  • Weisman, M. L., 1992: The role of convectively generated rear-inflow jets in the evolution of long-lived mesoconvective systems. J. Atmos. Sci., 49 , 1826–1847.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Weisman, M. L., and Klemp J. B. , 1984: The structure and classification of numerically simulated convective storms in directionally varying wind shears. Mon. Wea. Rev., 112 , 2479–2498.

    • Crossref
    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Weisman, M. L., and Klemp J. B. , 1986: Characteristics of isolated convective storms. Mesoscale Meteorology and Forecasting, P. S. Ray, Ed., Amer. Meteor. Soc., 341–358.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Zipser, E. J., 1982: Use of a conceptual model of the life-cycle of mesoscale convective systems to improve very short-range forecasts. Nowcasting, K. Browning, Ed., Academic Press, 191–204.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 0 0 0
Full Text Views 924 303 90
PDF Downloads 499 129 10