International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings - Montana State University Library

Item: Seasonal Change in Conditions for Occurrence of Wet Snow Avalanches in Hokkaido

• • Title: Seasonal Change in Conditions for Occurrence of Wet Snow Avalanches in Hokkaido

    Proceedings: Proceedings, 2012 International Snow Science Workshop, Anchorage, Alaska

    Authors:

    • Hiroki Matsushita  [ Civil Engineering Research Institute for Cold Region, Public Works Research Institute, Sapporo, Japan ]
    • Masaru Matsuzawa  [ Civil Engineering Research Institute for Cold Region, Public Works Research Institute, Sapporo, Japan ]
    • Hiroshi Nakamura  [ Civil Engineering Research Institute for Cold Region, Public Works Research Institute, Sapporo, Japan ]
    • Shinji Ikeda  [ Snow Avalanche and Land Slide Research Center, Public Works Research Institute, Myoko, Japan ]
    • Yasuhiko Ito  [ Snow Avalanche and Land Slide Research Center, Public Works Research Institute, Myoko, Japan ]

    Date: 2012

    Abstract: To clarify the meteorological conditions for occurrence of wet snow avalanches in Hokkaido, located in the northern part of Japan, data analysis have been carried out using wet snow avalanche examples occurred on roadside slopes in the past 11 years. The 100 wet snow avalanche cases, including of 53 full-depth avalanches and 47 surface avalanches, were used in this study. The hourly observation data of precipitation, air temperature and snow depth were obtained from the nearest observational station at avalanche site. The results revealed that the conditions supporting wet snow avalanches varied by periods of earlier and later winter seasons. In January, air temperature is commonly subfreezing and snow depth is not yet its maximum, wet snow avalanche tends to be accompanied with rainfall but increase in air temperature was not remarkable. In March, snowpack will start to be melted, most of wet snow avalanches were associated with the increasing air temperature above 0°C and occurred as full-depth avalanches. In February, commonly the minimum of air temperature and the maximum of snow depth in the winter, wet snow avalanches occurred due to the influences of both the rainfall and temperature rise.

    Object ID: issw-2012-878-883.pdf

    Language of Article: English

    Presenter(s): unknown

    Keywords: wet snow avalanches, full depth avalanche, temporal changes

    Page Number(s): 878-883

    Subjects: wet snow avalanches historical avalanche data air temperature

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