Characteristics of Precipitation Particles Measured by PARSIVEL Disdrometer at a Mountain and a Coastal Site in Korea

Abstract This study analyzed HC (Hydrometeor Classification), rain rate, and DSD (Drop Size Distribution) observed using an optical disdrometer, parsivel, at a mountain (Daegwallyeong, DG) and a coastal site (Mokpo, MP) over 2 years (2010–2011). The HC accuracies of the drizzle, rain, and snow were about 95%, 87%, and 80% respectively. The R2 (coefficient of determination) of the parsivel with TB (Tipping Bucket) rain gauge was 0.91 at MP and 0.96 at DG. The shapes of drizzle and rain DSD observed at DG and MP were similar while the variation in snow DSD was easily influenced by weather condition such as temperature and wind speed. The relatively warm temperature (–5 °C ∼ -0 °C) increased the snow particle number concentration at around 0.6~1 mm diameter and the relatively cold temperature (–15 °C ∼ -10 °C) decreased it above 2 mm diameter. Although wind speed was not a strong factor in snow DSD, larger particles were apt to form in relatively strong wind conditions. Due to different wind directions for the maritime and continental regions, snow particle number density (N(D)) at MP and DG exhibited large differences in terms of snow DSD shape and the number concentration. For instance, in the maritime precipitation, snow DSD shape at MP was broader than that at DG and small-size snow particles were observed at DG more frequently than at MP. In addition, camera-observed snow particle type measurement was carried out at DG in January to March 2010. During the measurement at DG, a mixed type of plate and column was the most frequent and an aggregation of plate type frequently occurred at lower temperatures.