Precipitation over the Southern Ocean: synoptic analysis and model evaluation using ground-based remote sensing and in-situ measurements
<p>Precipitation is still a poorly known variable in the Southern Ocean/Antarctica due to the lack of measurements. Unique precipitation measurements were carried out during the Swiss Polar Institute&#8217;s Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition (ACE) (December 2016 - March 2017). High temporal resolution measurements of precipitation were performed by a Snow Particle Counter (SPC) and by a micro rain radar (MRR) aboard the RV Akademik Tryoshnikov. Radiosondes were launched periodically to observe the vertical structure of the atmosphere. Additionally, MRR and radiosonde measurements from Dumont D&#8217;Urville station (DDU) were available when the expedition was in the Mertz Glacier region. These data offer a rare opportunity to evaluate model and reanalysis products performance in a region without regular precipitation measurements. In this study, ECMWF&#8217;s ERA5 reanalysis product and Antarctic Mesoscale Prediction System (AMPS) model data are evaluated using ACE and DDU in-situ observations. Two snowfall events that occurred around Mertz Glacier during the ACE campaign were chosen to compare ERA5 and AMPS data with in-situ measurements. The first event on 2 February 2017 was associated with an extratropical cyclone east of Adelie Land and a moderate along-shore moisture transport. The second event on 8-10 February 2017 was associated with a cyclone west of Mertz blocked by a high-pressure ridge, directing an intense moisture transport (identified as an atmospheric river) and precipitation to DDU. To assess if ERA5 reanalysis and AMPS (Antarctic Mesoscale Prediction System using Polar-WRF model) are able to represent these different types of precipitation events, we analyse the differences in precipitation amount between in-situ, model and reanalysis data and compare modelled vertical profiles with radiosonde measurements.</p>