Mesoscale modeling of lake effect snow over Lake Erie – sensitivity to convection, microphysics and the water temperature
Item
Title (Dublin Core)
Mesoscale modeling of lake effect snow over Lake Erie – sensitivity to convection, microphysics and the water temperature
Description (Dublin Core)
Lake effect snow is a shallow convection phenomenon during cold air
advection over a relatively warm lake. A severe case of lake effect snow
over Lake Erie on 24 December 2001 was studied with the MM5 and WRF
mesoscale models. This particular case provided over 200 cm of snow in
Buffalo (NY), caused three casualties and $10 million of material damage.
Hence, the need for a reliable forecast of the lake effect snow phenomenon
is evident. MM5 and WRF simulate lake effect snow successfully, although the
intensity of the snowbelt is underestimated. It appears that significant
differences occur between using a simple and a complex microphysics scheme.
In MM5, the use of the simple-ice microphysics scheme results in the
triggering of the convection much earlier in time than with the more
sophisticated Reisner-Graupel-scheme. Furthermore, we find a large
difference in the maximum precipitation between the different nested
domains: Reisner-Graupel produces larger differences in precipitation
between the domains than "simple ice". In WRF, the sophisticated Thompson
microphysics scheme simulates less precipitation than the simple WSM3
scheme. Increased temperature of Lake Erie results in an exponential growth
in the 24-h precipitation. Regarding the convection scheme, the updated
Kain-Fritsch scheme (especially designed for shallow convection during lake
effect snow), gives only slight differences in precipitation between the
updated and the original scheme.
advection over a relatively warm lake. A severe case of lake effect snow
over Lake Erie on 24 December 2001 was studied with the MM5 and WRF
mesoscale models. This particular case provided over 200 cm of snow in
Buffalo (NY), caused three casualties and $10 million of material damage.
Hence, the need for a reliable forecast of the lake effect snow phenomenon
is evident. MM5 and WRF simulate lake effect snow successfully, although the
intensity of the snowbelt is underestimated. It appears that significant
differences occur between using a simple and a complex microphysics scheme.
In MM5, the use of the simple-ice microphysics scheme results in the
triggering of the convection much earlier in time than with the more
sophisticated Reisner-Graupel-scheme. Furthermore, we find a large
difference in the maximum precipitation between the different nested
domains: Reisner-Graupel produces larger differences in precipitation
between the domains than "simple ice". In WRF, the sophisticated Thompson
microphysics scheme simulates less precipitation than the simple WSM3
scheme. Increased temperature of Lake Erie results in an exponential growth
in the 24-h precipitation. Regarding the convection scheme, the updated
Kain-Fritsch scheme (especially designed for shallow convection during lake
effect snow), gives only slight differences in precipitation between the
updated and the original scheme.
Creator (Dublin Core)
N. E. Theeuwes
G. J. Steeneveld
F. Krikken
A. A. M. Holtslag
Subject (Dublin Core)
Science
Q
Physics
QC1-999
Meteorology. Climatology
QC851-999
Publisher (Dublin Core)
Copernicus Publications
Date (Dublin Core)
2010-03-01T00:00:00Z
Type (Dublin Core)
article
Identifier (Dublin Core)
1992-0628
1992-0636
10.5194/asr-4-15-2010
https://doaj.org/article/cebefcd5321b4bd086fc70308586216f
Source (Dublin Core)
Advances in Science and Research, Vol 4, Pp 15-22 (2010)
Language (Dublin Core)
EN
Relation (Dublin Core)
http://www.adv-sci-res.net/4/15/2010/asr-4-15-2010.pdf
https://doaj.org/toc/1992-0628
https://doaj.org/toc/1992-0636
Provenance (Dublin Core)
Journal Licence: CC BY