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Meteorology Lab
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A meteorology lab that studies clouds, snow, and lightning through observation and simulation.
AboutAbout the lab
Reading the weather of the north through observation and computation.
The Meteorology Lab studies cloud physics, snow and ice meteorology, disasters and environmental problems in cold regions, and weather forecasting.
It combines observation, numerical simulation, and data analysis to investigate the mechanisms behind meteorological phenomena.
The lab deals with phenomena that appear on weather maps, such as extratropical cyclones and fronts, as well as small-scale phenomena such as cumulonimbus clouds and lightning discharges.
The lab was newly established in 2017 and is actively adopting new methods such as machine learning.
Key terms
- Extratropical cyclone
- A low-pressure system that forms in the mid-latitudes where warm and cold air collide. It strongly influences the weather in Japan.
- Phased array weather radar
- A radar that rapidly changes the direction in which it emits radio waves, capturing the three-dimensional structure of rain clouds at short intervals.
- High-energy atmospheric phenomena
- Phenomena in which high-energy radiation such as gamma rays is emitted in association with thunderclouds and lightning strikes.
NewsLab news
A student won a presentation award from the Hokkaido Branch of the Meteorological Society of Japan
A paper by Associate Professor Wada et al. was published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
A paper by Associate Professor Wada et al. was published in Science Advances
A paper by Professor Inatsu et al. was published in Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan. Ser. II
A student won the Matsuno Award from the Meteorological Society of Japan
ResearchResearch themes
The lab aims to solve the mysteries of weather, from the cyclones and fronts seen on weather maps to the small-scale phenomena occurring inside rain clouds. In addition to theory and numerical computation, it also uses methods such as observation and machine learning.
*Illustrative imageMechanisms of extratropical cyclones
From the standpoint of meteorological dynamics, the lab has investigated the role that mid-latitude sea surface temperature plays in the activity of extratropical cyclones. It proposed a new algorithm for tracking cyclones and captured the splitting and merging of cyclones and how heat and momentum are transported.
*Illustrative imageHokkaido's climate and the impacts of climate change
In a research project commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the lab took part in detailed climate calculations for Hokkaido and released the results. Through collaborative research, it has also examined how rising temperatures affect frozen ground and potato cultivation in eastern Hokkaido, as well as the properties of snow.
*Illustrative imageObservation of lightning and cumulonimbus clouds
The lab works on observing torrential rain and cumulonimbus clouds with phased array weather radar, and on observing high-energy atmospheric phenomena emitted from thunderclouds and lightning discharges. The lab also develops the observation instruments themselves.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Meteorology Lab consist of faculty and staff, and students.As of 2026
- ProfessorMasaru Inatsu
- Associate ProfessorYuki Wada
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Northern Japan, especially the island of Hokkaido, is home to some of the snowiest cities in the world (stormy-snowy-winter-for-hokkaido)” Michala Garrison, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview / Public domain (cropped)
- Mechanisms of extratropical cyclones: “Extratropical cyclone” NASA, MODIS Rapid Response System / Public domain (cropped)
- Hokkaido's climate and the impacts of climate change: “Mount Hokkaido Komagatake in winter 202601” 掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Observation of lightning and cumulonimbus clouds: “Port and lighthouse overnight storm with lightning in Port-la-Nouvelle” Maxime Raynal from France / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (海洋気候物理学研究室): “Spring Bloom Colors the Pacific Near Hokkaido” Norman Kuring / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (惑星宇宙グループ): “Terrestrial planet sizes” Mercury image: NASA/JHUAPLVenus image: NASAEarth image: NASA/Apollo 17 crewMars image: ESA/MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/RSSD/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (河谷研究室): “Helkivad ööpilved Kuresoo kohal” Martin Koitmäe / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (海洋・海
氷動態分野): “Mackenzie Bay, Antarctica ( )” NASA Goddard Space Flight Center from Greenbelt, MD, USA / Public domain (cropped)
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