scholarly journals The Use of Moist Potential Vorticity Vector as Diagnostic Variable of Rainfall Events in Tanzania

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Philbert Modest Luhunga ◽  
Agnes Kijazi ◽  
Ladislaus Chang a ◽  
Chuki A Sangalugembe ◽  
Doreen Mwara Anande ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Potential Vorticity ◽  
Wrf Model ◽  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
Topographic Effects ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Rainfall Events ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Vorticity Vector ◽  
Moist Potential Vorticity ◽  
Thermodynamic Variables

The work of this paper is a first step of the new paradigm, to use the Moist Potential Vorticity Vector (MPVV) as a diagnostic variable of rainfall events in Tanzania. The paper aims at computing and assessing the usefulness of MPVV in the diagnosis of rainfall events that occurred on 08th and 09th May 2017 over different regions in Tanzania. The relative contributions of horizontal, vertical components and the magnitude of MPVV on diagnosis of rainfall events are assessed. Hourly dynamic and thermodynamic variables of wind speed, temperature, atmospheric pressure and relative humidity from the numerical output generated by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model, running at Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) are used in computation of MPVV. The computed MPVV is then compared with WRF model forecasts and observed rainfall. It is found that in most parts of the country, particularly over coastal areas and North-Eastern Highlands, MPVV exhibited positive values in the lower troposphere (925hPa) and (850hPa) indicating local instability possibly associated with topographic effects, and continent/ocean contrast. MPVV is mostly positive with slightly negative values indicating instabilities (due to possible convective instability). Moreover, MPVV provides remarkably accurate tracking of the locations received rainfall, suggesting its potential use as a dynamic diagnostic variable of rainfall events in Tanzania.

scholarly journals Explosive Cyclogenesis around the Korean Peninsula in May 2016 from a Potential Vorticity Perspective: Case Study and Numerical Simulations

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ki-Young Heo ◽  
Kyung-Ja Ha ◽  
Taemin Ha
Keyword(s):  
Potential Vorticity ◽  
Korean Peninsula ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Wrf Model ◽  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
Conveyor Belt ◽  
Inversion Method ◽  
Secondary Importance ◽  
Explosive Cyclone ◽  
Perturbation Potential

An explosive cyclone event that occurred near the Korean Peninsula in early May 2016 is simulated using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to examine the developmental mechanisms of the explosive cyclone. After confirming that the WRF model reproduces the synoptic environments and main features of the event well, the favorable environmental conditions for the rapid development of the cyclone are analyzed, and the explosive development mechanisms of the cyclone are investigated with perturbation potential vorticity (PV) fields. The piecewise PV inversion method is used to identify the dynamically relevant meteorological fields associated with each perturbation PV anomaly. The rapid deepening of the surface cyclone was influenced by both adiabatic (an upper tropospheric PV anomaly) and diabatic (a low-level PV anomaly associated with condensational heating) processes, while the baroclinic processes in the lower troposphere had the smallest contribution. In the explosive phase of the cyclone life cycle, the diabatically generated PV anomalies associated with condensational heating induced by the ascending air in the warm conveyor belt are the most important factors for the initial intensity of the cyclone. The upper-level forcing is the most important factor in the evolution of the cyclone’s track, but it is of secondary importance for the initial strong deepening.

scholarly journals Comments on “Incorporating the Effects of Moisture into a Dynamical Parameter: Moist Vorticity and Moist Divergence”

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 1393-1396 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Schultz ◽  
Thomas Spengler
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Potential Vorticity ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Heavy Rain ◽  
Relative Vorticity ◽  
Dynamical Parameter ◽  
Accumulated Rainfall ◽  
Moist Potential Vorticity ◽  
Model Precipitation

Abstract In a recent article, Qian et al. introduced the quantities moist vorticity and moist divergence to diagnose locations of heavy rain. These quantities are constructed by multiplying the relative vorticity and divergence by relative humidity to the power k, where k = 10 in their article. Their approach is similar to that for the previously constructed quantity generalized moist potential vorticity. This comment critiques the approach of Qian et al., demonstrating that the moist vorticity, moist divergence, and by extension generalized moist potential vorticity are flawed mathematically and meteorologically. Raising relative humidity to the 10th power is poorly justified and is based on a single case study at a single time. No meteorological evidence is presented for why areas of moist vorticity and moist divergence should overlap with regions of 24-h accumulated rainfall. All three quantities have not been verified against the output of precipitation directly from the model nor is the approach of combining meteorological quantities into a single parameter appropriate in an ingredients-based forecasting approach. Researchers and forecasters are advised to plot the model precipitation directly and employ an ingredients-based approach, rather than rely on these flawed quantities.

scholarly journals A comparison between the GNSS tomography technique and the WRF model in retrieving 3D wet refractivity field in Hong Kong

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhaohui Xiong ◽  
Bao Zhang ◽  
Yibin Yao
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Water Vapor ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Wrf Model ◽  
Vertical Direction ◽  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
Reanalysis Data ◽  
Radiosonde Data ◽  
Rainy Period ◽  
Lower Accuracy

Abstract. Water vapor plays an important role in various scales of weather processes. However, there are limited means to monitor its 3-dimensional (3D) dynamical changes. The Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) model and the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) tomography technique are two of the limited means. Here, we conduct an interesting comparison between the GNSS tomography technique and the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model (a representative of the NWP models) in retrieving Wet Refractivity (WR) in Hong Kong area during a rainy period and a rainless period. The GNSS tomography technique is used to retrieve WR from the GNSS slant wet delay. The WRF Data Assimilation (WRFDA) model is used to assimilate GNSS Zenith Tropospheric Delay (ZTD) to improve the background data. The WRF model is used to generate reanalysis data using the WRFDA output as the initial values. The radiosonde data are used to validate the WR derived from the GNSS tomography and the reanalysis data. The Root Mean Square (RMS) of the tomographic WR, the reanalysis WR that assimilate GNSS ZTD, and the reanalysis WR that without assimilating GNSS ZTD are 6.50 mm/km, 4.31 mm/km and 4.15 mm/km in the rainy period. The RMS becomes 7.02 mm/km, 7.26 mm/km and 6.35 mm/km in the rainless period. The lower accuracy in the rainless period is mainy due to the sharp variation of WR in the vertical direction. The results also show that assimilating GNSS ZTD into the WRFDA model only slightly improves the accuracy of the reanalysis WR and that the reanalysis WR is better than the tomographic WR in most cases. However, in a special experimental period when the water vapor is highly concentrated in the lower troposphere, the tomographic WR outperforms the reanalysis WR in the lower troposphere. When we assimilate the tomographic WR in the lower troposphere into the WRFDA model, the reanalysis WR is improved.

scholarly journals A Two-Season Impact Study of Radiative Forced Tropospheric Response to Stratospheric Initial Conditions Inferred From Satellite Radiance Assimilation

Climate ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 114
Author(s):  
Min Shao ◽  
Yansong Bao ◽  
George P. Petropoulos ◽  
Hongfang Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Weather Forecasting ◽  
Initial Conditions ◽  
Stratospheric Ozone ◽  
Wrf Model ◽  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
Short Wave ◽  
Advanced Technology ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Radiative Processes ◽  
Stratospheric Temperature

This study investigated the impacts of stratospheric temperatures and their variations on tropospheric short-term weather forecasting using the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF-ARW) system with real satellite data assimilation. Satellite-borne microwave stratospheric temperature measurements up to 1 mb, from the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A), the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS), and the Special Sensor microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMI/S), were assimilated into the WRF model over the continental U.S. during winter and summer 2015 using the community Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) system. Adjusted stratospheric temperature related to upper stratospheric ozone absorption of short-wave (SW) radiation further lead to vibration in downward SW radiation in winter predictions and overall reduced with a maximum of 5.5% reduction of downward SW radiation in summer predictions. Stratospheric signals in winter need 48- to 72-h to propagate to the lower troposphere while near-instant tropospheric response to the stratospheric initial conditions are observed in summer predictions. A schematic plot illustrated the physical processes of the coupled stratosphere and troposphere related to radiative processes. Our results suggest that the inclusion of the entire stratosphere and better representation of the upper stratosphere are important in regional NWP systems in short-term forecasts.

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