On a bora event simulated by the Eta Model

Summary ¶This study presents a numerical simulation of the bora wind as it occurs in form of a severe wind blowing down coastal mountains and over the Adriatic Sea. A typical cyclonic bora event, occurring during the period January 3–6, 1995, is simulated using a nested limited area model. An integration, with horizontal resolution of about 14km, and a nested one, with higher resolution, about 5.5km, are presented. The 1997 version of the Eta Model is used for both the lower resolution and the higher resolution runs. Numerous details of the simulation are found to be in good agreement with the understanding as well as the observational knowledge of the bora, thus supporting confidence in the realism of the results. In particular, features of the simulated flow are seen strongly indicative of some basic characteristics of the hydraulic model of the phenomenon, such as the mountain wave breaking and the upstream flow acceleration. Moreover, the increase in horizontal resolution, in combination with an improvement of the coastal SST information, led to a still improved realism of the low-level wind representation over the Adriatic Sea.Received December 31, 2001; revised March 25, 2002; accepted July 19, 2002 Published online: February 20, 2003     

Simulation of bora in Novorossiysk

The bora event observed in Novorossiysk on February 6–8, 2012 was analyzed using the WRF numerical model of regional atmospheric circulation. The main meteorological parameters are reproduced. It is demonstrated that the maximum wind speed is reached in the area of the lee slope directly over the bay. It is obtained that the bora development is accompanied by intensive waves associated with the flowing around coastal mountains whose regime changes in time. Computed and measured changes in the surface wind speed are in a good agreement.     

Gustiness of the Novorossiysk bora

The development of the Novorossiysk bora on February 5–6, 2010 is simulated with high spatial and temporal resolution using the regional model of atmospheric circulation. Considered are typical features of the wind speed and air temperature fields. Singled out are two regimes defining the type of the air flowing around the mountain ridge and the temporal variability (gustiness) of the surface wind speed.     

一个基于Eta垂直坐标的新WRF动力框架及其数值试验

针对我国陡峭地形数值预报难题,本文在国际先进WRF(Weather Research and Forecasting)模式动力框架中引入阶梯地形垂直坐标,以期为改进复杂地形区域数值天气预报提供模式发展可选方案.设计气柱质量变换方法,实现阶梯地形和追随地形两种垂直坐标下动力方程组的形式一致,从而简化方程组离散及程序实现的...     

A numerical study on severe downslope windstorms occurred on 5 April 2005 at Gangneung and Yangyang, Korea

Severe downslope windstorms occurred on 5 April 2005 in the Taebaek Mountain Range, located in the eastern coast of Korea, are examined using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Strong winds are observed at Gangneung and Yangyang during two separate periods with a rapidly decreasing period in between. These downslope windstorms are reproduced in the simulation reasonably well, although the rapidly decreasing surface wind speed after the second windstorm could not be captured at Yangyang. It is found that the generation mechanisms of the downslope windstorms in these two periods are somewhat different. The severe wind in the first period is likely due to the reflection of the mountain waves from a critical level that locates near z = 8–9 km. Upward-propagating waves and reflected downward-propagating waves interact constructively in a duct between the critical level and the surface, resulting in strong surface wind. In the second period, the hydraulic-jump theory can be applied in that the wave breaking above the downstream induces a well-mixed region, and severe downslope wind is developed beneath this turbulent region as the streamlines descend along the downstream. Simultaneous lee wave structure is also reproduced during the second windstorm period. The sensitivity of the downslope wind speed to the change in the land-cover map showed that the absorption of trapped lee waves in the boundary layer reduces the downslope wind speed significantly after the second windstorm at Gangneung, improving the model performance, although with no significant impact at Yangyang.     

新疆克拉玛依强下坡风暴的机理研究

利用美国中尺度数值模式 WRF 对2013年3月7—8日克拉玛依强风进行了模拟,对下坡风发生、发展和结束3个阶段的三维结构特征进行了分析,并由此提出克拉玛依强下坡风的形成机制模型：上游地区出现中高层西南风、低层西北风并伴有强冷平流的配置,当风速不断增大时,气流能够翻越加依尔山在背风坡侧形成重力波,重力波相位向气流上游方向倾斜产生非线性效应,促进了波不稳定区域的形成并导致波破碎,形成湍流活跃层,不断把上层的能量向下传播;克拉玛依中低层形成三层夹心的大气层结稳定度分布,出现明显的过渡气流带从而导致强下坡风的形成;南北风分量在低层和中层符号相反,形成了临界层,不断吸收上层波能量并向地面传送,强下坡风暴不断维持发展。最后利用2006—2012年克拉玛依33个强下坡风过程中的探空观测资料对提出的形成机制进行了验证。     

青藏高原东边缘山区极值风速推算方法的研究

利用1971—2001年青藏高原东边缘地区12个气象台站风资料,分析了影响极值风速的主要因子,通过对地形的参数化处理,建立了极值风速随海拔高度和地形参数变化的拟合模型,可推算该地山区的极值风速,并利用山区临时观测资料对拟合模型进行了检验。结果表明,利用引入地形参数所建立的极值风速拟合模型来推算山区极值风速具有一定的可行性。     

Climate downscaling over South America for 1961–1970 using the Eta Model

This study shows the results from a regional climate simulation of the present-day climate, corresponding to the period 1961–1970 over South America, using the regional Eta Model nested within the HadAM3P model from the UK Hadley Centre. The simulation analysis is focused on assessing the capability of the nested regional model in representing spatial patterns of seasonal mean climate and the annual cycle of precipitation and temperature. The goals of this 10-year run for South America are to verify if the Eta Model can be used in climate-change scenarios and to verify if this model has the ability to generate added value for the South American continent. The Eta Model was chosen because there are few investigations using the Eta Model for long integrations over South America and because the vertical coordinate system used in this model is recommended for use over South America due to the presence of the Andes range. In the present 10-year simulation, the regional model reproduced many of the South American mesoscale climate features and together added new value to the driver model. Value was also added to the driver model by reducing seasonal biases in austral winter relative to austral summer. The regional model also exhibits better performance in the representation of low-level circulation, such as the topographically induced northwesterly flux.     

An upgraded version of the Eta model

Upgrades implemented over a number of years in an open source version of the Eta model, posted at the CPTEC web site http://etamodel.cptec.inpe.br/, are summarized and examples of benefits are shown. The version originates from the NCEP’s Workstation Eta code posted on the NCEP web site http://www.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/mmb/wrkstn_eta, which differs from the NCEP’s latest operational Eta by having the WRF-NMM nonhydrostatic option included. Most of the upgrades made resulted from attention paid to less than satisfactory performance noted in several Eta results, and identification of the reasons for the problem. Others came from simple expectation that including a feature that is physically justified but is missing in the code should help. The most notable of the upgrades are the introduction of the so-called sloping steps, or discretized shaved cells topography; piecewise-linear finite-volume vertical advection of dynamic variables; vapor and hydrometeor loading in the hydrostatic equation, and changes aimed at refining the convection schemes available in the Eta. Several other modifications have to do with the calculation of exchange coefficients, conservation in the vertical diffusion, and diagnostic calculation of 10-m winds. Several examples showing improved performance resulting from the dynamics changes are given. One includes a case of unrealistically low temperatures in several mountain basins generated by a centered vertical advection difference scheme’s unphysical advection from below ground, removed by its replacement with a finite-volume scheme. Another is that of increased katabatic winds in the Terra Nova Bay Antarctica region. Successful forecast of the severe downslope zonda wind case in the lee of the highest peaks of the Andes is also shown, and some of the recent successful verification results of the use of the upgraded model are pointed out. The code is used at numerous places, and along with setup information it is available for outside users at the CPTEC Eta web site given above.     

山区夜间边界层的数值模拟

本文采用二维数值模式模拟了一个坡地上夜间边界层的发展过程。所得到的结果与1974—1976年在北京北部山区得到的观测资料做了比较。模拟出的夜间辐射逆温层的厚度和形状以及下坡风的廊线都与观测事实大致相符。模式进一步改进后似可做为解决中、小尺度复杂地形上夜间边界层演变的工具。     

Impact of land surface roughness on downslope windstorm modelling in the Arctic

The article considers the reasons for the underestimation of the wind speed by the WRF-ARW model when simulating downslope windstorms in the Russian Arctic. Simulation results for the Tiksi windstorm, for which sensitivity tests were carried out, appeared to be weakly dependent on the initial and boundary conditions, topography resolution, and boundary layer parameterization. Wind speed underestimation was mostly related to improper land use and the highly overestimated roughness length, which are used in the model. Reduction of the roughness length in accordance with the observations leads not only to a quantitative change in the wind speed in the boundary layer, but to qualitative changes in the dynamics of the flow. Wind underestimation in simulations with the overestimated roughness was caused by the jet stream unrealistically jumping over the lee slope and wake formation in the station area, while jet stream stayed near the surface and propagated to the station area in simulations with the modified roughness length. Modification of land use and roughness length in Tiksi and other regions where downslope windstorms are observed (Novaya Zemlya, Pevek, Wrangel Island) led to a decrease in wind speed modelling error by more than 2.5 times.     

Eta model forecasts of tropical cyclones from Australian Monsoon Experiment: The model sensitivity

Summary The Australian Monsoon Experiment (AMEX) (10 January through 15 February 1987) has resulted in the first ever quality mesoscale data set in the Australian tropics. This provides the first observational confirmation of previous hypotheses, modelling experiments and refinement of the parametrization of convective processes. During the AMEX a large area of convective activity off northwestern Australia accompanied four tropical cyclones onset:Connie, Irma, Damien andJason. As already reported by the author, the Eta Model of the University of Belgrade and the National Meteorological Centre, Washington (UB/NMC), successfully predicted the development, structure, associated precipitation and tracks of these cyclones.Using again the AMEX tropical cyclone cases, in the present study the sensitivity of the Eta Model is examined with respect to the initial and boundary conditions, the vertical coordinate and orography, the location of the initial vortex, the surface fluxes of heat and moisture, the sea surface temperature and the Betts-Miller convection parametrization scheme.Also, some available forecasts of the AMEX tropical cyclones were intercompared. These included the forecasts obtained by the Eta Model, the T106 global (then) operational European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model, the ECMWF T106 limited area model and the Florida State University (FSU) limited area model. A review of the intercomparison results suggests that the Eta Model is highly competitive with the other sophisticated models, both in terms of quality and the computational effort required.With 9 Figures     

Bases and algorithm for nowcasting of the bora

Summary A detailed outline of a nowcasting model of the bora is presented for the region NE of the Gulf of Trieste. An exhaustive knowledge of results of bora behavior and the findings by the frontal bora model are used to couple the mesoscale and nowcasting models to predict the beginning, strength and cessation of the bora.With 5 Figures     

Numerical Simulation of Wave Drag during Downslope Windstorms in Different Regions of Russia

The wave drag is considered for downslope windstorms in Novorossiysk, on Novaya Zemlya, and in Pevek. The research is based on the results of numerical simulation with the WRF-ARW model. Special attention is paid to the evaluation of the contribution that wave processes make to the overall dynamics of the phenomenon (based on the ratio of wave and orographic drag) and to the specific features of wave drag for different downslope windstorms.     

Examples of the role of surface friction in downslope windstorms

Summary Numerical simulations of four mountain wave events over the Colorado Rockies were carried out with a two-dimensional hydrostatic model including a turbulent mixing parameterization in order to investigate the effect of surface friction. Surface friction was found to play a major role in modulating and even in some cases preventing the wave amplification mechanism from producing severe downslope windstorms.With 8 Figures     

Upper boundary of the bora as a stationary frontal surface

Summary For the inclined stationary internal atmospheric boundary as is the upper boundary of the bora flow down the lee-side slope of an orographic obstacle, the dynamic forces must be appropriately balanced, similar as at the atmospheric frontal surfaces. Starting from this idea, a model for the bora flow conditions was developed. Introducing some special suppositions, the model finally consists of four partial differential equations, which are solved numerically.Numerical experiments with the model by changing parameters such as friction and warm air stratification, as well as initial values of the flow: thickness, velocity, inclination and air mass temperature difference, show interesting results and finings. The shape of upper bora boundary and the distribution of the bora velocity above and downward the slope are graphycally presented, as they develop under the influence of different values of the mentioned parameters.With 5 Figures     

Numerical Simulation of the Novaya Zemlya Bora

The development of the bora in case of strong southeastern wind in the area of Novaya Zemlya in the winter-spring of 2016 is simulated using the WRF-ARW numerical atmosphere circulation model with high spatial resolution. The features of wind speed and air temperature fields are considered which define the formation of the intensive near-surface flow, the bora, over the lee western slope of the mountain range. It is demonstrated that the bora development leads to the air temperature rise over the eastern part of the Barents Sea, to the increased surface heat fluxes, and to the formation of the cloudless zone over the sea westward of Novaya Zemlya. It was found that the main reason for the bora development is the high stability of the atmospheric boundary layer over the Kara Sea. It is shown that in case of western wind the Novaya Zemlya archipelago does not exert considerable influence on the air exchange in the Kara Sea area.     

Boundary-layer effects on mountain waves: a new look at some historical studies

Early studies of mountain waves reported various results that have rarely been investigated since. These include: large-amplitude mountain waves above an unstable boundary layer much higher than the mountains; a repeated downwind drift and upwind jump of mountain waves; and larger vertical wind magnitude near sunrise and/or sunset. These are investigated using over 3,000 radiosondes and meso-strato-troposphere (MST) radar. Superadiabatic temperature gradients are found beneath mountain waves, explainable by convection which appears to raise the mountain-wave launching height. Movement of mountain-wave patterns is studied by a new method using height–time vertical wind data. A swaying motion of mountain waves, with period of a few minutes, appears to be equally upwind and downwind, rather than asymmetric at the heights measurable. Also, vertical wind shows no change in mean, variance or extreme values near sunrise and sunset, despite the expected diurnal changes of boundary-layer structure. An explanation for differences between MST radar and other measurements and models of mountain waves is suggested in terms of more than one variety of mountain wave. Type 1 has stable air near the ground; type 2 is above a convective/turbulent boundary layer of significant height as compared to the mountains.     

珠穆朗玛峰北坡局地环流日变化的观测研究

青藏高原地-气间的物质/能量交换是高原与全球大气系统相联系的重要纽带.陡峭的地形和强烈的地表差异在高原山区形成特殊的局地大气环流系统,在地气交换中起着重要作用.为研究珠峰北坡的局地环流系统,于2006年5～6月间在珠峰北坡绒布河谷实施强化观测实验HEST2006,对该地区的局地环流以及辐射和热力状况进行观测,分析了该地区局地环流的日变化过程,包括:(1)地面风场的分布和变化;(2)风场垂直结构;(3)垂直运动及可能的驱动机制.研究表明,该地区局地大气环流是由地形与地表状态调整的大气辐射加热和冷却所驱动,包含多种不同的山地环流成分,与典型山谷风环流不同,具有很强的特殊性,对地气问的交换有重要影响.