Journal of Natural Disaster Science

FORMATION OF A COLD AIR LAKE AND ITS EFFECTS ON AGRICULTURE

Masatoshi M. YOSHINO
Professor, Institute of Geoscience, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba
Minoru TANAKA
Instructor, Institute of Geoscience, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba
and
Keizo NAKAMURA
Lecturer, Faculty of Fine Arts, Dohto University, Hokkaido

(Received 20 October, 1981 and in revised form 29 December, 1981)

Abstract

The general characteristics of cold air drainage and the formation of a cold air lake are described. Intermittent motion of cold air drainage, temperature change due to the flow of cold air and a local circulation model of cold air drainage are discussed on the basis of previous reports in the literature. Observations of conditions on the Sugadaira Highland in Nagano Prefecture, Central Japan, are described. Down slope winds and cold air drainage converged in the basin and flowed onto the top of the cold air lake. A climatological investigation of the relationship between minimum air temperature and the topography of the basin was made and estimated distribution maps were drawn for the Kamikawa and Furano Basins in Hokkaido, which show the dependence of rice yields for 1976, a cool summer.

Key words

Sugadaira basin, cold air lake, cold air drainage, air temperature inversion, cool summer damage