Comparative Analysis of the Cloud Behavior over Inland and Coastal Regions within Single Climate Characteristics
Continuous and accurate ceilometer measurements can provide the sky-condition such as cloud base height (CBH), cloud vertical structure (CVS), and cloud cover at around the sites of meteorological stations. In this study, ceilometer measurement data over a period of 3 years (January 2017 to December...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/11/12/1316 |
| _version_ | 1797545638696583168 |
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| author | Sanghee Lee Sug-Whan Kim Seung-On Hwang Ji Nyeong Choi Ki-Beom Ahn Jinho Kim |
| author_facet | Sanghee Lee Sug-Whan Kim Seung-On Hwang Ji Nyeong Choi Ki-Beom Ahn Jinho Kim |
| author_sort | Sanghee Lee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Continuous and accurate ceilometer measurements can provide the sky-condition such as cloud base height (CBH), cloud vertical structure (CVS), and cloud cover at around the sites of meteorological stations. In this study, ceilometer measurement data over a period of 3 years (January 2017 to December 2019) were analyzed to compare the characteristics of CBH at inland and coastal stations sharing the same climate characteristics in Korea. The annual averaged frequency of cloud occurrence between 0 and 7750 m at the first CBH is similar in both inland (41.8 ± 10.2%) and coastal (40.3 ± 9.5%) areas. However, there are differences in monthly and seasonal trends. The maximum cloud occurrence appears in summer (winter) of 64.3% (60.1%) in inland (coastal) areas, while the minimum of 25.6% (21.9%) shows in transient seasons of spring and autumn. In winter, the cold surge of northwest wind tends to increase the cloud occurrence from the ocean at coastal rather than in the inland area. It is shown that monthly cloud occurrence in each station is closely related to its monthly precipitation variation. The CVS frequency calculated from the total number of CBH with 250 m vertical bins shows the maximum between 500 to 1500 m (0 to 1000 m) in inland (coastal) areas, indicating more frequent occurrence at a lower height in the coastal area. It is mainly caused by the seasonal variability of the low-level clouds in the coastal region, which occurs two to three times higher in spring and summer than in other seasons. The study implies that long-term measurements of ceilometer would provide a better understanding of the characteristics of cloud behaviors in inland and coastal areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:18:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0ae0d0897c1a48bf90f8c522dd4063a5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:18:06Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-0ae0d0897c1a48bf90f8c522dd4063a52023-11-20T23:34:58ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332020-12-011112131610.3390/atmos11121316Comparative Analysis of the Cloud Behavior over Inland and Coastal Regions within Single Climate CharacteristicsSanghee Lee0Sug-Whan Kim1Seung-On Hwang2Ji Nyeong Choi3Ki-Beom Ahn4Jinho Kim5Research Center for Atmospheric Environment, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Oedae-ro 81, Mohyeon-eop, Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si 17035, Gyeonggi-do, KoreaDepartment of Astronomy, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, KoreaEarth System Research Division, National Institute of Meteorological Sciences, Seohobuk-ro 33, Seogwipo-si 63568, Jeju-do, KoreaDepartment of Astronomy, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, KoreaDepartment of Astronomy, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, KoreaThe 5th Research & Development Institute, Agency for Defense Development, Chungnam, Taean 32143, KoreaContinuous and accurate ceilometer measurements can provide the sky-condition such as cloud base height (CBH), cloud vertical structure (CVS), and cloud cover at around the sites of meteorological stations. In this study, ceilometer measurement data over a period of 3 years (January 2017 to December 2019) were analyzed to compare the characteristics of CBH at inland and coastal stations sharing the same climate characteristics in Korea. The annual averaged frequency of cloud occurrence between 0 and 7750 m at the first CBH is similar in both inland (41.8 ± 10.2%) and coastal (40.3 ± 9.5%) areas. However, there are differences in monthly and seasonal trends. The maximum cloud occurrence appears in summer (winter) of 64.3% (60.1%) in inland (coastal) areas, while the minimum of 25.6% (21.9%) shows in transient seasons of spring and autumn. In winter, the cold surge of northwest wind tends to increase the cloud occurrence from the ocean at coastal rather than in the inland area. It is shown that monthly cloud occurrence in each station is closely related to its monthly precipitation variation. The CVS frequency calculated from the total number of CBH with 250 m vertical bins shows the maximum between 500 to 1500 m (0 to 1000 m) in inland (coastal) areas, indicating more frequent occurrence at a lower height in the coastal area. It is mainly caused by the seasonal variability of the low-level clouds in the coastal region, which occurs two to three times higher in spring and summer than in other seasons. The study implies that long-term measurements of ceilometer would provide a better understanding of the characteristics of cloud behaviors in inland and coastal areas.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/11/12/1316cloud base heightcloud vertical structureceilometerinland and coastal areas |
| spellingShingle | Sanghee Lee Sug-Whan Kim Seung-On Hwang Ji Nyeong Choi Ki-Beom Ahn Jinho Kim Comparative Analysis of the Cloud Behavior over Inland and Coastal Regions within Single Climate Characteristics Atmosphere cloud base height cloud vertical structure ceilometer inland and coastal areas |
| title | Comparative Analysis of the Cloud Behavior over Inland and Coastal Regions within Single Climate Characteristics |
| title_full | Comparative Analysis of the Cloud Behavior over Inland and Coastal Regions within Single Climate Characteristics |
| title_fullStr | Comparative Analysis of the Cloud Behavior over Inland and Coastal Regions within Single Climate Characteristics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparative Analysis of the Cloud Behavior over Inland and Coastal Regions within Single Climate Characteristics |
| title_short | Comparative Analysis of the Cloud Behavior over Inland and Coastal Regions within Single Climate Characteristics |
| title_sort | comparative analysis of the cloud behavior over inland and coastal regions within single climate characteristics |
| topic | cloud base height cloud vertical structure ceilometer inland and coastal areas |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/11/12/1316 |
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