Characterization of wind patterns and thermal inversion periods in La Oroya, Peru

What is it about?

In this work, the wind patterns in high mountain areas with complex orography are characterized using hourly data provided by a network of weather stations. The key novelty of the study is the methodology. One year of data from nine stations located in the area of La Oroya, Peru was used to validate the proposed method. The local wind behaviour was characterized, the wind patterns were compared with respect to the seasons, and the winter morning transitions were analysed in detail.

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Why is it important?

The methodology allows quantitative description of the local wind patterns and their temporal dynamics in complex mountain valleys. Both wind speed and direction were found to be relevant in wind pattern characterization. In particular, both parameters have proven helpful in identifying and quantifying the prevailing winds during cold dawns and thermal inversion periods.

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