Sensitivity analysis of planetary boundary layer schemes using the WRF model in Northern Colombia during 2016 dry season

AbstractThe planetary boundary layer (PBL) height is an essential parameter required for many applications, including weather forecasting and dispersion modeling for air quality. Estimates of PBL height are not easily available and often come from twice-daily rawinsonde observations at airports, typically at 0000 and 1200 UTC. Questions often arise regarding the applicability of PBL heights retrieved from these twice-daily observations to surrounding locations. Obtaining this information requires knowledge of the spatial variability of PBL heights. This knowledge is particularly limited in regions with mountainous terrain. The goal of this study is to develop a method for estimating daytime PBL heights in the Page Valley, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The approach includes using 1) rawinsonde observations from the nearest sounding station [Dulles Airport (IAD)], which is located 90 km northeast of the Page Valley, 2) North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) output, and 3) simulations with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model. When selecting days on which PBL heights from NARR compare well to PBL heights determined from the IAD soundings, it is found that PBL heights are higher (on the order of 200–400 m) over the Page Valley than at IAD and that these differences are typically larger in summer than in winter. WRF simulations indicate that larger sensible heat fluxes and terrain-following characteristics of PBL height both contribute to PBL heights being higher over the Page Valley than at IAD.

Download Full-text

Systematic errors in the WRF model planetary boundary layer schemes for two contrasting monsoon seasons over the state of Odisha and its neighborhood region

Theoretical and Applied Climatology ◽

10.1007/s00704-019-03023-3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 139 (3-4) ◽

pp. 1079-1096 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vivekananda Hazra ◽

Sandeep Pattnaik

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Planetary Boundary Layer ◽

Wrf Model ◽

Systematic Errors ◽

The State

Download Full-text

Sensitivity analysis of WRF model PBL schemes in simulating boundary-layer variables in southern Italy: An experimental campaign

Atmospheric Research ◽

10.1016/j.atmosres.2017.04.003 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 192 ◽

pp. 58-71 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

E. Avolio ◽

S. Federico ◽

M.M. Miglietta ◽

T. Lo Feudo ◽

C.R. Calidonna ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Sensitivity Analysis ◽

Southern Italy ◽

Wrf Model ◽

Experimental Campaign

Download Full-text

Observation of the Diurnal Cycle in the Low Troposphere of West Africa

Monthly Weather Review ◽

10.1175/2008mwr2427.1 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 136 (9) ◽

pp. 3477-3500 ◽

Cited By ~ 98

Author(s):

Marie Lothon ◽

Frédérique Saïd ◽

Fabienne Lohou ◽

Bernard Campistron

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Water Vapor ◽

West Africa ◽

Planetary Boundary Layer ◽

Diurnal Cycle ◽

Dry Season ◽

Nocturnal Jet ◽

The Impact ◽

Made In

Abstract The authors give an overview of the diurnal cycle of the low troposphere during 2006 at two different sites, Niamey (Niger) and Nangatchori (Benin). This study is partly based on the first observations of UHF wind profilers ever made in West Africa in the context of the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA) project. Also used are the radiosoundings made in Niamey and ground station observations at Nangatchori, which allow for the study of the impact of the dynamics on the water vapor cycle and the turbulence observed at the ground. Profiler measurements revealed a very consistent year-round nocturnal low-level jet maximal around 0500 UTC and centered at 400-m above the ground, with wind speed around 15 m s−1. This jet comes either from the northeast during the dry season or from the southwest during the wet season, in relation with the position of the intertropical discontinuity. The radiosoundings made in Niamey highlight both the role of the nocturnal jet in bringing water vapor from the south during the night when the intertropical discontinuity has reached the vicinity of the considered area at the end of the dry season and the role of the daytime planetary boundary layer in mixing this water vapor within a larger depth of the troposphere. The planetary boundary layer processes play a large role in the diurnal cycle of the position of the intertropical discontinuity itself. The observations of turbulence made at the ground in Nangatchori showed that the best signature of the nocturnal jet close to surface can be seen in the turbulent kinetic energy and skewness of the air vertical velocity, rather than on the mean wind itself. They reveal the downward transport of momentum from the jet core aloft to the surface.

Download Full-text

COMPARISON AND ANALYSIS OF SEVERAL PLANETARY BOUNDARY LAYER SCHEMES IN WRF MODEL BETWEEN CLEAR AND OVERCAST DAYS

Chinese Journal of Geophysics ◽

10.1002/cjg2.30034 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 60 (2) ◽

pp. 141-153

Author(s):

WANG Cheng-Gang ◽

SHEN Ying-Jie ◽

LUO Feng ◽

CAO Le ◽

YAN Jia-De ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Planetary Boundary Layer ◽

Wrf Model ◽

Comparison And Analysis

Download Full-text

Evaluation of nonlocal and local planetary boundary layer schemes in the WRF model

Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres ◽

10.1029/2011jd017080 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 117 (D12) ◽

pp. n/a-n/a ◽

Cited By ~ 95

Author(s):

Bo Xie ◽

Jimmy C. H. Fung ◽

Allen Chan ◽

Alexis Lau

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Planetary Boundary Layer ◽

Wrf Model

Download Full-text

Impacts of the Lowest Model Level Height on the Performance of Planetary Boundary Layer Parameterizations

Monthly Weather Review ◽

10.1175/mwr-d-11-00027.1 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 140 (2) ◽

pp. 664-682 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Hyeyum Hailey Shin ◽

Song-You Hong ◽

Jimy Dudhia

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Surface Layer ◽

Planetary Boundary Layer ◽

Numerical Models ◽

Wrf Model ◽

Weather Research And Forecasting ◽

Implicit Assumption ◽

Convective Model ◽

Local Scheme ◽

Level Height

The lowest model level height z1 is important in atmospheric numerical models, since surface layer similarity is applied to the height in most of the models. This indicates an implicit assumption that z1 is within the surface layer. In this study, impacts of z1 on the performance of planetary boundary layer (PBL) parameterizations are investigated. Three conceptually different schemes in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model are tested for one complete diurnal cycle: the nonlocal, first-order Yonsei University (YSU) and Asymmetric Convective Model version 2 (ACM2) schemes and the local, 1.5-order Mellor–Yamada–Janjić (MYJ) scheme. Surface variables are sensitive to z1 in daytime when z1 is below 12 m, even though the height is within the surface layer. Meanwhile during nighttime, the variables are systematically altered as z1 becomes shallower from 40 m. PBL structures show the sensitivity in the similar manner, but weaker. The order of sensitivity among the three schemes is YSU, ACM2, and MYJ. The significant sensitivity of the YSU parameterization comes from the PBL height calculation. This is considerably alleviated by excluding the thermal excess term in determining the PBL height when z1 is within the surface layer. The factor that specifies the ratio of nonlocal transport to total mixing is critical to the sensitivity of the ACM2 scheme. The MYJ scheme has no systematic sensitivity, since it is a local scheme. It is also noted that a numerical instability appears accompanying the unrealistic PBL structures when the grid spacing in the surface layer suddenly jumps.

Download Full-text

Optimization of physical schemes in WRF model on cyclone simulations over Bay of Bengal using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-02723-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Meenakshi Shenoy ◽

P. V. S. Raju ◽

Jagdish Prasad

Keyword(s):

Boundary Layer ◽

Tropical Cyclones ◽

Planetary Boundary Layer ◽

Bay Of Bengal ◽

Wrf Model ◽

India Meteorological Department ◽

Cloud Microphysics ◽

Optimal Combination ◽

Cumulus Convection ◽

Elimination Method

AbstractEvaluation of appropriate physics parameterization schemes for the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is vital for accurately forecasting tropical cyclones. Three cyclones Nargis, Titli and Fani have been chosen to investigate the combination of five cloud microphysics (MP), three cumulus convection (CC), and two planetary boundary layer (PBL) schemes of the WRF model (ver. 4.0) with ARW core with respect to track and intensity to determine an optimal combination of these physical schemes. The initial and boundary conditions for sensitivity experiments are drawn from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) global forecasting system (GFS) data. Simulated track and intensity of three cyclonic cases are compared with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) observations. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) is applied to check the significance of the data obtained from the model. Further, Tukey’s test is applied for post-hoc analysis in order to identify the cluster of treatments close to IMD observations for all three cyclones. Results are obtained through the statistical analysis; average root means square error (RMSE) of intensity throughout the cyclone period and time error at landfall with the step-by-step elimination method. Through the elimination method, the optimal scheme combination is obtained. The YSU planetary boundary layer with Kain–Fritsch cumulus convection and Ferrier microphysics scheme combination is identified as an optimal combination in this study for the forecasting of tropical cyclones over the Bay of Bengal.

Download Full-text