The snow-shadow effect of Sado Island on Niigata City and the coastal plain

Abstract

Japan's Hokuriku region, near the Sea of Japan, typically experiences heavy snowfall; however, Niigata City, the largest city on the Sea of Japan side, experiences lower levels of snowfall than neighbouring cities. This study investigates the snow-shadow effect of Sado Island on snowfall in Niigata City, located 45 km away leeward. Statistical analysis of long-term radar data for 10 winters showed that snow-shadow effects in the Niigata plain occurred in 151 (80%) of the 188 cases, during which a strong approaching wind reached the island. The location of this snow-shadow effect was always downwind of Sado Island and depended on the wind direction. Numerical experiments using the Weather Research and Forecasting model predicted that snowfall over the Niigata Plain would be lighter with the island than without it. Additionally, the snow-shadow effect occurs in areas more than 150 km downwind. The experiments showed that Sado Island reduces heat fluxes from the sea surface by weakening leeward winds. At the same time, the horizontal wind convergence downwind is weakened. Meanwhile, the orographic snowfall over Sado Island reduces the amount of water vapour, cloud water and cloud ice over the leeward sea. Therefore, Sado Island prevents cloud lines from redeveloping over the leeward sea and can further reduce snowfall over the leeward plain, including in Niigata City.