soubriquet 0 Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 There was a graph in the Asahi Shimbun last week showing the average January temperatures for Japan since 1960. I'm not sure how you calculate an average for a country, but I found the numbers quite interesting. I've digitised it, and plotted it in excel. Temperature is in blue, and 5-year running average in magenta. The most obvious feature, is that prior to 1987, temperatures were mostly negative with a few positive excursions. Since then the situation has reversed. Also, the January temperatures for 1972, 1989 and 2000 were higher than this year. I'm not entirely happy with a national average, becuase local variations get masked. Those other warm winters may have been good snow seasons, or cold in the snow areas and simply much hotter in the SW. Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted February 19, 2007 Share Posted February 19, 2007 Interesting graph Sub. Do you know which months or what period they take the measurements for each year to get the average? Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted February 19, 2007 Author Share Posted February 19, 2007 It's average January temperature. I have no idea about the sample size or location. I might have a hunt around and see if I can find a stash of data online somewhere. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted February 20, 2007 Author Share Posted February 20, 2007 OK. The data are here: http://www.data.kishou.go.jp/mdrr/smp/en/index.html Monthly means and totals by prefecture, through time. I've ripped the January snow depth for Yamagata, re-scaled and inverted it (minus means more snow, plus means less). The range is from 35cm to 205cm of snow. Plotted together (blue=temp, magenta=snow), they track very well. Clearly, this season is not unique. 1971/72, 1992 and 2000 had less snow. Link to post Share on other sites
2pints-mate 0 Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Interesting that last sentence. The people we met in Nagano said it was by far the least snow they had ever had in a season. (And one of these people was 79!!) Regional variations? Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Interesting soubs. You may well have had less snow in 2000, but round here that isn't the case. Goes to show perhaps how your season isn't as relatively dry as ours is here. I'd like to see the same for round here actually. Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Really interesting. Not only there were worst years for Yamagata than this year, but also last year that we had record snowfall in Niigata was an average year up there. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Why Magenta? Link to post Share on other sites
fukdane 2 Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 Thanks soubs good one. Is it getting spring like in Yamagata lately? Sure is here in Fukushima. Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted February 20, 2007 Share Posted February 20, 2007 I wonder how they get the data.... the weather's been like the end of March all winter on Shikoku and ski hills in Western Japan that usually have a 2 meter base now are closing for the season because of no snow. I like the way you inverted the last graph so that less snow looks better. Very positive thinking... Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted February 20, 2007 Author Share Posted February 20, 2007 Quote: Originally posted by Toque: Why Magenta? Because it suits me Some programs render colour in CYM (cyan/magenta/yellow) space rather than RGB. Excell is one of them. Dunno why. OK muika, here's Niigata. Blue is Japan average, magenta is Niigata average temp, and red is Niigata average snow, inverted range from 220 to 3cm. Bear in mind that the Yamagata and the Niigata measurements are taken in the centre of the city. There's a big difference in snowfall between Oishida and Yamagata, 50km south of here. The weather mostly comes from the NW: we cop it and Yamagata is in the lee of Gassan. The only time they get more than us is when it snows from a westerly, and even then, they don't get our volumes. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted February 20, 2007 Author Share Posted February 20, 2007 Quote: Originally posted by ger: I like the way you inverted the last graph so that less snow looks better. Very positive thinking... One of the skills needed to be a successful research scientist is to know how to make your data look good.. That's where we benefit from being in the colder north. I'm just back from Kurobishi kogen, and I judged about 80cm of hardpack around a scour at the base of a pylon. Despite the difficulties, there's plenty of snow here because it aint melting. Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 Bear in mind that the Yamagata and the Niigata measurements are taken in the centre of the city. If that is the case it is almost meaningless when talking about Niigata as Niigata city is so far away from Yuzawa and Myoko where the snow is. Link to post Share on other sites
number9 0 Posted February 21, 2007 Share Posted February 21, 2007 I wouldn't say they're almost meaningless. In fact, they're probably quite meaningful. Ski resorts don't get isolated snowfall, the cold weather affects the entire region and country. Thanks for the interesting data. We are in a once a decade or two snow shortage though. Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Well there is some really cold air heading to Japan. By Saturday most of Japan will be really cold. Link to post Share on other sites
DumbStick 13 Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Will it be bringing us a fluffy white present? Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 "We are in a once a decade or two snow shortage though." We are not. We are in a never seen before shortage. People 80 years old have and living in the area forever have never seen it anywhere near as little snow as there is this time. Niigata city often gets almost not snow at all. It is a long way from this region, a two hour drive. Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Depends where you are, but yes Niigata, Northern Nagano, Northern Gumna and of course all of the northern areas will get snow Friday night and into saturday morning, may fall as rain to start in the valey areas, but for sure will be snow before the morning. Looking at a good 20-30cm in some areas, not a lot by other years standards, but well better than nothing. The freezing level by Sat morning from Saitama / Gunma upwards and accross is going to be at zero metres, so a very cold day Sat followed by an even colder night. Quote: Originally posted by DumbStick: Will it be bringing us a fluffy white present? Link to post Share on other sites
IIIII 2 Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Fluffy white present! Can't wait. I'm really up for a day on the snow again. Link to post Share on other sites
Zaoman 0 Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 It would certainly be welcome. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted February 23, 2007 Author Share Posted February 23, 2007 Local variations. Shinjo is 20km north of Oishida, Yamagata is 30km south. This is a warm winter, part of a warming trend. The temperature difference is about half a degree, Here are the snowfall data. These stop at 2006, so do not include this winter. The difference is about 2m of snowfall, bearing in mind that Oishida gets more than both. Here are 3 years of photos. 2005. The roof has been crushed. Thanks to insurance, in 2006 it has been replaced. 2006. Less snow on the roof, more in the carpark. 2007. Not so much snow. Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Good comparison soubriquet. Is that photo above of yesterday or 'peak' season? I'll have to put a few comparisons together. Link to post Share on other sites
skidaisuki 0 Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Wow 1984-85 in Niigata musta been epic... Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted February 23, 2007 Author Share Posted February 23, 2007 The third photo was taken on 22nd Jan, so, ahem, peak season. I know how you all worry that I'm not getting enough, but you can relax. This was the bottom of Jangle Jungle today. Cover is still complete. It was raining and a bit slushy, but we should see some more snow tonight. Link to post Share on other sites
frannyo 2 Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 Quote: I know how you all worry that I'm not getting enough I don't know about that soubriquet, I get the impression this season you are getting more than most! Link to post Share on other sites
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