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Cloud-resolving model intercomparison of an MC3E squall line case: Part I-Convective updrafts: CRM Intercomparison of a Squall Line

Journal Article · · Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JD026622· OSTI ID:1430433
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [8];  [9];  [10];  [11];  [12];  [13];  [14];  [4];  [15]
  1. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland Washington USA
  2. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland Washington USA; School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing China
  3. Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City Utah USA
  4. National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder Colorado USA
  5. Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, McGill University, Montreal Quebec USA
  6. Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, McGill University, Montreal Quebec USA; School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook New York USA
  7. School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing China
  8. Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson Arizona USA
  9. Environmental and Climate Sciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton New York USA
  10. The Institute of the Earth Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem Israel
  11. Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station Texas USA
  12. NOAA/OAR/National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman Oklahoma USA
  13. Meteorological Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Dorval Canada
  14. Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks North Dakota USA
  15. Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena California USA
+ Show Author Affiliations
A constrained model intercomparison study of a mid-latitude mesoscale squall line is performed using the Weather Research & Forecasting (WRF) model at 1-km horizontal grid spacing with eight cloud microphysics schemes, to understand specific processes that lead to the large spread of simulated cloud and precipitation at cloud-resolving scales, with a focus of this paper on convective cores. Various observational data are employed to evaluate the baseline simulations. All simulations tend to produce a wider convective area than observed, but a much narrower stratiform area, with most bulk schemes overpredicting radar reflectivity. The magnitudes of the virtual potential temperature drop, pressure rise, and the peak wind speed associated with the passage of the gust front are significantly smaller compared with the observations, suggesting simulated cool pools are weaker. Simulations also overestimate the vertical velocity and Ze in convective cores as compared with observational retrievals. The modeled updraft velocity and precipitation have a significant spread across the eight schemes even in this strongly dynamically-driven system. The spread of updraft velocity is attributed to the combined effects of the low-level perturbation pressure gradient determined by cold pool intensity and buoyancy that is not necessarily well correlated to differences in latent heating among the simulations. Variability of updraft velocity between schemes is also related to differences in ice-related parameterizations, whereas precipitation variability increases in no-ice simulations because of scheme differences in collision-coalescence parameterizations.
Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
1430433
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-121397; KP1701000
Journal Information:
Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres Journal Issue: 17 Vol. 122; ISSN 2169-897X
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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The Characteristics of Tropical and Midlatitude Mesoscale Convective Systems as Revealed by Radar Wind Profilers journal April 2019
Structure and Evolution of Mesoscale Convective Systems: Sensitivity to Cloud Microphysics in Convection‐Permitting Simulations Over the United States journal July 2018
How Do Microphysical Processes Influence Large‐Scale Precipitation Variability and Extremes? journal February 2018
Cloud‐Resolving Model Intercomparison of an MC3E Squall Line Case: Part II. Stratiform Precipitation Properties journal January 2019
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