Journal of Agricultural Meteorology
Online ISSN : 1881-0136
Print ISSN : 0021-8588
ISSN-L : 0021-8588
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Estimation of Snow Distribution under Global Warming Using Data from Remote Weather Stations (AMeDAS)
Yuji KOMINAMINobuyuki TANAKAYasoichi ENDOShoji NIWANO
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2005 Volume 60 Issue 5 Pages 445-450

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Abstract

 A considerable change in the amount of snow as a result of climate change is possible in Japan, because air temperature there is relatively high among snowy regions of the world. The amount of snow cover depends primarily on the form of the precipitation (rain or snow) that falls in winter and correlates not only with the amount of precipitation but also with air temperature. To evaluate the effect of a change of temperature due to climate change on snow cover at a local scale, the daily change in snow water equivalent (SWE) at points of a 1-km grid was estimated by using air temperature and precipitation values recorded by the Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System (AMeDAS) of the Japan Meteorological Agency from 1980 to 2002. By changing the temperature parameter, we then evaluated the sensitivity of snow cover to temperature changes. Estimated changes in SWE and snow cover duration that would accompany a rise in temperature of 2 ºC were large on the coastal plains along the Sea of Japan in Honshu. The snow cover duration was estimated to decrease in these areas by about 70% with a temperature rise of 2 ºC.

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© 2005 The Society of Agricultural Meteorology of Japan
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