MODELLING OF LOCAL CLIMATE FOR PREDICTION OF ROAD SLIPPERINESS

Recent research for the Swedish Road Weather Information System (WIS) is discussed along with a method for determining temperature variations attributable to topography during different weather situations. Topographical areas are classified according to factors determining temperature differences. The investigation concentrates on areas where great temperature differences occur during different weather situations, producing a risk of local road slipperiness. Geographical factors analyzed and discussed include valleys, height differences, shadow areas, bridges, and regional climate. Cold air pool intensities are shown to be influenced by weather but a variation between different valleys also occurs owing to valley width, area of cold air production, wind shelter, and ratio between height and width of valley slopes. During neutral or unstable lapse rate conditions, the lowest road surface temperature is closely related to the air temperature and decreases with increasing altitude above sea level. Screened areas have a lower surface temperature than areas exposed to sun. Factors such as bridge size and type also affect road surface temperature on bridges. These different factors are integrated into a local climatological model. Key words: topoclimatology, local climatology, modelling, road slipperiness, road surface temperature.]