Downburst observations by a high density ground surface observation network (POTEKA)

摘要

POTEKA (POint TEnki KAnsoku in Japanese) is a compact weather station that was developed by Meisei Electric Co., Ltd. POTEKA can observe 7 meteorological variables; temperature, pressure, humidity, wind velocity, wind direction, sunshine and rain. About 150 POTEKAs have been installed in Gunma and Saitama prefectures in Japan providing a high density ground surface observation network that has a resolution of approximately 2 km. This network has been recording observations for about five years since 2013， and we have succeeded in observing 11 cases of downbursts and damaging winds, which included five events in the F1 category (Fujita scale). By detailed analysis of the Fl downburst events that were accompanied by substantial damage (particularly the downburst events of August 11,2013, June 15, 2015 and July 14, 2016), common features of temperature and pressure changes before the Fl downbursts were detected by the POTEKA data nearby.