The efficiency of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for simulating typhoons

Abstract

Abstract. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model includes various configuration options related to physics parameters, which can affect the performance of the model. In this study, numerical experiments were conducted to determine the best combination of physics parameterization schemes for the simulation of sea surface temperatures, latent heat flux, sensible heat flux, precipitation rate, and wind speed that characterized typhoons. Through these experiments, several physics parameterization options within the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model were exhaustively tested for typhoon Noul, which originated in the South China Sea in November 2008. The model domain consisted of one coarse domain and one nested domain. The resolution of the coarse domain was 30 km, and that of the nested domain was 10 km. In this study, model simulation results were compared with the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) data set. Comparisons between predicted and control data were made through the use of standard statistical measurements. The results facilitated the determination of the best combination of options suitable for predicting each physics parameter. Then, the suggested best combinations were examined for seven other typhoons and the solutions were confirmed. Finally, the best combination was compared with other introduced combinations for windspeed prediction for typhoon Washi in 2011. The contribution of this study is to have attention to the heat fluxes besides the other parameters. The outcomes showed that the suggested combinations are comparable with the ones in the literature.

Wind Resource Potential Assessment and Implication for Climate Change Mitigation: The Case of Bale Zone, South Eastern Ethiopia

“…It employs an Eulerian mass-coordinate solver with a non-hydrostatic approach, and a terrain following Eta-coordinate system in the vertical. It is a state-of-the-art mesoscale model used in a variety of studies (Clifford et al, 2011;T. Haghroosta et al, 2014;J.…”

Review article: Risk management framework of environmental hazards and extremes in Mediterranean ecosystems

“…Tornadoes occur in many parts of the world (Fujita, 1973). Several publications during the last several decades have presented historical records concerning tornadic activity (e.g., Meaden, 1976;Tooming and Peterson, 1995;Peterson, 1998;Reynolds, 1999;Tyrrell, 2003;Macrinoniene, 2003;Dotzek, 2003;Nastos and Matsangouras, 2010;Gayà et al, 2000;Brázdil et al, 2012;Rauhala et al, 2012;Haghroosta et al, 2014). As far as tornadic activity over Greece is concerned, a comprehensive spatial distribution of a total of 612 events (171 tornadoes, 374 waterspouts and 67 funnel clouds) recorded in 405 d was presented (Matsangouras et al, 2014a, b: Nastos and as there were several days with multiplied events within the period 1709-2012 (Fig.…”

“…A number of researchers have noted the importance of convection and especially mesoscale convective systems in producing warm season precipitation. Heideman and Fritsch (1984) estimated that about half of warm season precipitation over the United States is produced directly by mesoscale systems or phenomena. In long lasting, circular shaped, convective systems, using satellite imagery found that such systems accounted for approximately 30 % to 70 % of warm season precipitation between the Rocky Mountains and Mississippi River.…”

Risk management framework of environmental hazards and extremes in Mediterranean ecosystems

“…Tornadoes occur in many parts of the world (Fujita, 1973). Several publications during the last several decades have presented historical records concerning tornadic activity (e.g., Meaden, 1976;Tomming et al, 1995;Peterson, 1998;Reynolds, 1999;Tyrrel, 2003;Macrinoniene, 2003;Dotzek, 2003;Nastos and Matsangouras, 2010;Gayà et al, 2000;Brázdil et al, 2012;Rahuala et al, 2012;Haghroosta, et al, 2014). As far as tornadic activity over Greece is concerned, a comprehensive spatial distribution of a total of 612 events (171 tornadoes, 374 waterspouts and 67 funnel clouds), recorded on 405 days was presented (Matsangouras et al, 2014a;, as there were several days with multiplied events, within the period 1709-2012 ( Figure 5).…”