National Research and Development Agency National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
497ｍ
480ｍ
458ｍ
450ｍ
445ｍ
375ｍ
345ｍ
Around 300m
Around 250m
At heights of 458m and 250m
Meteorological observation (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology)
Predicting heavy snowfall and rain/snow in the Kanto region is one of the most challenging problems in meteorology, and currently, prediction accuracy is not very high. Therefore, in order to obtain the actual measured values essential for understanding the situation and making predictions, we are conducting meteorological observations at heights of 458m and 250m. The goal is to enable prediction of temperature, humidity, and precipitation types at different altitudes by conducting meteorological observations at high frequency and at multiple altitudes using the Skytree.
Meteorological observation equipment installed at 458m and 250m points
About the Research
- As meteorological observation equipment, a disdrometer that directly measures the magnitude and falling speed of precipitation has been installed at a height of 458m, and a comprehensive meteorological observation device (POTEKA manufactured by Meisei Electric Co., Ltd.) has been installed at a height of 250m to observe temperature, humidity, etc. These devices provide measurements that are useful for understanding and forecasting the actual weather conditions in the metropolitan area.
- By continuing these measurements over the long term, meteorological data will be accumulated, increasing the possibility of making highly accurate advance predictions of heavy snowfall and snow accumulation.
- In the future, it is expected that this research will be used not only to predict snowfall, but also to predict sudden heavy rain, extreme heat, heat islands, and energy supply and demand. This will be important research for society as it will lead to disaster mitigation, reduction of health damage (heatstroke, heat death, sleep disorders), and prediction of solar power generation.
As someone specializing in urban weather and climate, I often have the opportunity to visit cities abroad. When I look at the Parisian cityscape from the Eiffel Tower, I notice a sense of uniformity in the colors and heights of the buildings. On the other hand, when I look at the Tokyo cityscape from the Tokyo Skytree, I notice that there isn't necessarily a sense of uniformity in the colors and heights of the buildings. The Skytree seems to be a place that teaches us not only about high-altitude weather data, but also about the differences in urban planning and philosophies that exist in different countries and cities.
(Yuya Takane, National Institute for Environmental Studies)