The Evaluation of Estoque Model 1990 in Land/Sea Breezes Occurrence over Northern Persian Gulf

This is a mesoscale modeling study of land/sea breeze in the vicinity of Bushehr, Iran which is on the coast of the Persian Gulf. Two days in September, 2002 are studied using the model presented in Estoque Model (1990) (hereafter referred to as EsM90). The EsM90 produces a realistic day-night wind field somewhat in agreement with observations provided by the Port and Shipping Organization of Iran. The study demonstrates that the model has a 3-hour delay predicting the time of the maximum of sea breeze, but accurately predicts when the end of the sea breeze occurs. Accurate estimates near mountains at the edge of the modeled region require a more complex simulation. The study shows that a reliable modeling of a complicated coastal environment like Bushehr not only depends on land/sea breezes but also on elevations and prevailing winds. This dependence is especially important when local thermal forcings are weak, for example, during late afternoon and at night.