Articles | Volume 10, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-1033-2017
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-1033-2017
Model evaluation paper
 | 
03 Mar 2017
Model evaluation paper |  | 03 Mar 2017

Influence of bulk microphysics schemes upon Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) version 3.6.1 nor'easter simulations

Stephen D. Nicholls, Steven G. Decker, Wei-Kuo Tao, Stephen E. Lang, Jainn J. Shi, and Karen I. Mohr

Abstract. This study evaluated the impact of five single- or double-moment bulk microphysics schemes (BMPSs) on Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) simulations of seven intense wintertime cyclones impacting the mid-Atlantic United States; 5-day long WRF simulations were initialized roughly 24 h prior to the onset of coastal cyclogenesis off the North Carolina coastline. In all, 35 model simulations (five BMPSs and seven cases) were run and their associated microphysics-related storm properties (hydrometer mixing ratios, precipitation, and radar reflectivity) were evaluated against model analysis and available gridded radar and ground-based precipitation products. Inter-BMPS comparisons of column-integrated mixing ratios and mixing ratio profiles reveal little variability in non-frozen hydrometeor species due to their shared programming heritage, yet their assumptions concerning snow and graupel intercepts, ice supersaturation, snow and graupel density maps, and terminal velocities led to considerable variability in both simulated frozen hydrometeor species and radar reflectivity. WRF-simulated precipitation fields exhibit minor spatiotemporal variability amongst BMPSs, yet their spatial extent is largely conserved. Compared to ground-based precipitation data, WRF simulations demonstrate low-to-moderate (0.217–0.414) threat scores and a rainfall distribution shifted toward higher values. Finally, an analysis of WRF and gridded radar reflectivity data via contoured frequency with altitude diagrams (CFADs) reveals notable variability amongst BMPSs, where better performing schemes favored lower graupel mixing ratios and better underlying aggregation assumptions.

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Short summary
This study evaluated the impact of five hydrometeor species physics schemes during seven intense winter storm events in the northeastern United States. Model simulations were evaluated against gridded analysis data, precipitation, and weather radar derived products. Results show minor differences in simulated precipitation and large-scale regional patterns, yet simulated weather radar fields were more accurate in physics schemes with less ice pellet content above the melting layer.