Empirical-Statistical Method to Estimate the Surface Wind Speed over Complex Terrain

Abstract

An empirical-statistical method to estimate surface wind speed over complex terrain under strong wind condition is proposed. This method is based on the postulation that the surface wind speed depends on a surface roughness parameter and a terrain parameter, namely, the topographical parameter Ω. The topographical parameters for Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System observatories in the northeastern part of Japan were determined for strong wind conditions, and an expression for the topographical parameter is expressed as a product of single topographical parameters, each determined from prominent local features.