The effect of topography and sea surface temperature on heavy snowfall in the Yeongdong region: A case study with high resolution WRF simulation

An analysis of the heavy snowfall that occurred on 11–14 February 2011 in the Yeongdong region along the eastern coast is presented. Relevant characteristics based on observation and model simulations are discussed with a focus on the times of maximum snowfall in Gangneung (GN) and Daegwallyong (DG). This event was considered part of the typical snowfall pattern that frequently occurs in the Yeongdong region due to the prevailing northeasterly flow. The control simulation using the high resolution Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model (1 km × 1 km) showed reasonable performance in capturing the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of precipitation. The area of precipitation maxima appeared to propagate from the plain coastal region further into the inland mountainous region, in relation to the location of convergence zone. In addition, a series of sensitivity experiments were performed to investigate the effect of topography and sea surface temperature (SST) on the formation of heavy snowfall. The change of topography tended to modulate the topographically induced mechanical flow, and thereby modify the precipitation distribution, which highlights the importance of an elaborate representation of the topography. On the other hand, the sensitivity experiment to prescribe positive (negative) SST forcing shows the enhanced (suppressed) precipitation amount due to the change of the sensible and latent heat fluxes.