Ki-Hong Min

Evaluation of WRF Cloud Microphysics Schemes Using Radar Observations

AbstractThe Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) implemented a 10-yr project to develop its own global model (GM) by 2020. To reflect the complex topography and unique weather characteristics of the Korean Peninsula, a high-resolution model with accurate physics and input data is required. The WRF single-moment 6-class microphysics scheme (WSM6) and WRF double-moment 6-class microphysics scheme (WDM6) that will be implemented in the Korea GM (KGM) are evaluated. Comparisons of the contoured frequency by altitude diagram (CFAD), time–height cross sections, and vertical profiles of hydrometeors are utilized to assess the two schemes in simulating summer monsoon and convective precipitation cases over the Korean Peninsula during 2011. The results show that WSM6 and WDM6 overestimate the height of the melting level and bright band as compared to radar observations. However, the accuracy of WDM6 is in better agreement with radar observations. This is attributed to the difference in the sedimentation proce...

Topographic–Thermal Circulations and GPS-Measured Moisture Variability around Mayaguez, Puerto Rico

AbstractTo investigate topographic–thermal circulations and the associated moisture variability over western Puerto Rico, field data were collected from 15 to 31 March 2011. Surface meteorological instruments and ground-based GPS receivers measured the circulation and precipitable water with high spatial and temporal resolution, and the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model was used to simulate the mesoscale flow at 1-km resolution. A westerly onshore flow of ~4 m s−1 over Mayaguez Bay was observed on many days, due to an interaction between thermally driven [3°C (10 km)−1] sea-breeze circulation and an island wake comprised of twin gyres. The thermally driven sea breeze occurred only when easterly synoptic winds favorably oriented the gyres with respect to the coast. Moisture associated with onshore flow was characterized by GPS measured precipitable water (PW). There is diurnal cycling of PW > 3 cm over the west coast during periods of onshore flow. The WRF Model tends to overestimate PW on the w...

Atmosphere-Cryosphere Coupled Model for Regional Climate Applications

There have been significant advances in our understanding of the climate system, but two major problems still exist in modeling atmospheric response during cold seasons: (a) lack of detailed physical description of snow and frozen soil in the land-surface schemes and (b) insufficient understanding of regional climate response from the cryosphere. A multilayer snow land-surface model based on the conservations of heat and water substance inside the soil and snow is coupled to an atmospheric RCM, to investigate the effect of snow, snowmelt, and soil frost on the atmosphere during cold seasons. The coupled RCM shows much improvement in moisture and temperature simulation for March-April of 1997 compared to simple parameterizations used in GCMs. The importance of such processes in RCM simulation is more pronounced in mid-to-high latitudes during the transition period (winter–spring) affected by changes in surface energy and the hydrological cycle. The effect of including cryosphere physics through snow-albedo feedback mechanism changes the meridional temperature gradients and in turn changes the location of weather systems passing over the region. The implications from our study suggest that, to reduce the uncertainties and better assess the impacts of climate change, RCM simulations should include the detailed snow and frozen soil processes.

A Numerical Study of Mesoscale Model Initialization with Data Assimilation

Data for model analysis derived from the finite volume (fv) GCM (Goddard Earth Observing System Ver. 4, GEOS-4) and the Land Data Assimilation System (LDAS) have been utilized in a mesoscale model. These data are tested to provide initial conditions and lateral boundary forcings to the Purdue Mesoscale Model (PMM) for a case study of the Midwestern flood that took place from 21-23 May 1998. The simulated results with fvGCM and LDAS soil moisture and temperature data are compared with that of ECMWF reanalysis. The initial conditions of the land surface provided by fvGCM/LDAS show significant differences in both soil moisture and ground temperature when compared to ECMWF control run, which results in a much different atmospheric state in the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL). The simulation result shows that significant changes to the forecasted weather system occur due to the surface initial conditions, especially for the precipitation and temperature over the land. In comparing precipitation, moisture budgets, and surface energy, not only do the intensity and the location of precipitation over the Midwestern U.S. coincide better when running fvGCM/LDAS, but also the temperature forecast agrees better when compared to ECMWF reanalysis data. However, the precipitation over the Rocky Mountains is too large due to the cumulus parameterization scheme used in the PMM. The RMS errors and biases of fvGCM/LDAS are smaller than the control run and show statistical significance supporting the conclusion that the use of LDAS improves the precipitation and temperature forecast in the case of the Midwestern flood. The same method can be applied to Korea and simulations will be carried out as more LDAS data becomes available.

A Case Study of Mesoscale Convective Band (MCB) Development and Evolution along a Quasi-stationary Front

This paper presents a case study of mesoscale convective band (MCB) development along a quasi-stationary front over the Seoul metropolitan area. The MCB, which initiated on 1500 UTC 20 September 2010 and ended on 1400 UTC 21 September 2010, produced a total precipitation amount of 259.5 mm. The MCB development occurred during a period of tropopause folding in the upper level and moisture advection with a low-level jet. The analyses show that the evolution of the MCB can be classified into five periods: (1) the cell-forming period, when convection initiated; (2) the frontogenetic period, when the stationary front formed over the Korean peninsula; (3) the quasi-stationary period, when the convective band remained over Seoul for 3 h; (4) the mature period, when the cloud cover was largest and the precipitation rate was greater than 90 mm h−1; and (5) the dissipating period, when the MCB diminished and disappeared. The synoptic, thermodynamic, and dynamic analyses show that the MCB maintained its longevity by a tilted updraft, which headed towards a positive PV anomaly. Precipitation was concentrated under this area, where a tilted ascending southwesterly converged with a tilted ascending northeasterly, at the axis of cyclonic rotation. The formation of the convective cell was attributed in part by tropopause folding, which enhanced the cyclonic vorticity at the surface, and by the low-level convergence of warm moist air and upperlevel divergence. The southwesterly flow ascended in a region with high moisture content and strong relative vorticity that maintained the development of an MCB along the quasi-stationary front.