PURPOSES : This study demonstrates the need for the collection of road weather information in order to perform efficient snow removal works during the winter season. Snow removal operations are usually dependent upon weather information obtained from the Automatic Weather Station provided by the Korea Meteorological Administration. However, there are some difference between road weather and weather forecasts in their scope. This is because general weather forecasts are focused on macroscopic standpoints rather than microscopic perspectives. METHODS : In this study, the relationship between snow removal works and historical weather forecasts are properly analyzed to prove the importance of road weather information. We collected both weather data and snow removal works during winter season at "A" regional offices in Gangwon areas. RESULTS : Results showed that the validation of weather forecasts for snow removal works were depended on the height difference between AWS location and its neighboring roadway. CONCLUSIONS : Namely, it appears that road weather information should be collected where AWS location and its neighboring roadway have relatively big difference in their heights.

Better understanding the mechanism of black ice occurrence on the road in winter is necessary to reduce the socio-economic damage it causes. In this study, intensive observations of road weather elements and surface information under the influence of synoptic high-pressure patterns (22nd December, 2020 and 29th January, and 25th February, 2021) were carried out using a mobile observation vehicle. We found that temperature and road surface temperature change is significantly influenced by observation time, altitude and structure of the road, surrounding terrain, and traffic volume, especially in tunnels and bridges. In addition, even if the spatial distribution of temperature and road surface temperature for the entire observation route is similar, there is a difference between air and road surface temperatures due to the influence of current weather conditions. The observed road temperature, air temperature and air pressure in Nongong Bridge were significantly different to other fixed road weather observation points.