A Case study of a snowstorm at the Great Wall Station, Antarctica

• Main Authors: Qinghua, Yang, Lin, Zhang, Zhenhe, Xue, Zhaohui, Yin, Jianyong, Xing
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Polar Research Institute of China - PRIC 2010
• Subjects: Atmosphere; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Great Wall Station; Advances in Polar Science; Antarc*; Antarctica; Polar Science
• Online Access: http://library.arcticportal.org/2399/; http://library.arcticportal.org/2399/1/A2010-013.pdf

A case of a snowstorm at the Great Wall Station was studied using data of NCEP(National Centers for Environmental Prediction) analysis, in situ observations and surface weather charts. The storm occurred on August 29th, 2006, and brought high winds and poor horizontal visibility to the region. It was found that the storm occurred under the synoptic situation of a high in the south and a low in the north. A low-level easterly jet from the Antarctic continent significantly decreased the air temperature and humidity. Warm air advection at high level brought sufficient vapor from lower latitudes for the snowstorm to develop. The dynamic factors relating to strong snowfall and even the development of a snowstorm were deep cyclonic vorticity at middle and low levels, the configuration of divergence at high level and convergence at low level, and strong vertical uplift. There was an inversion layer in the low-level atmosphere during the later phase of the storm. This vertical structure of cold air at low levels and warm air at high levels may have been important to the longevity of the snowstorm.