Calibration and Validation of WRF-CLM in Snowpack Simulations

Location

Eccles Conference Center

Event Website

http://water.usu.edu/

Start Date

4-20-2010 10:00 AM

End Date

4-20-2010 10:20 AM

Description

The Community Land Model developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) was coupled into the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model. The performance of WRF-CLM in simulating snowpack was evaluated with Snow Telemetry (Snotel) observations over the Columbia River Basin. CLM was configured with a five-layer snow scheme, and includes snow compaction and liquid water transfer processes, and a sophisticated snow albedo scheme. WRF-CLM was forced with the NCAR/National Centers for Environmental Prediction Reanalysis II data to simulate for the 2001-2002 snow season for the Columbia River Basin, with 60km-20km two-way nested domains. The initial simulations show that WRF-CLM significantly improves snow simulations when compared to those produced with the WRF coupled to original land surface schemes. The improvements results from the more realistic land surface parameterizations in CLM than those in the WRF original land surface schemes. The study also shows that topography also has a significant impact on snow simulations. At 10 km resolution, CLM produces most accurate snow simulations, although the WRF prescribed elevations at the Snotel stations still have errors at this resolution. Realistic snow simulations with the 20 km resolution WRF-CLM can be achieved when the model prescribed elevations at those Snotel stations were replaced with the observed values, further indicating the importance of the topography to snow simulations. Through this comparison, snow-atmosphere interactions are quantitatively indentified. The improved snow simulations in WRF-CLM will benefit regional hydro-climate research and forecasts.

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 
Apr 20th, 10:00 AM Apr 20th, 10:20 AM

Calibration and Validation of WRF-CLM in Snowpack Simulations

Eccles Conference Center

The Community Land Model developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) was coupled into the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model. The performance of WRF-CLM in simulating snowpack was evaluated with Snow Telemetry (Snotel) observations over the Columbia River Basin. CLM was configured with a five-layer snow scheme, and includes snow compaction and liquid water transfer processes, and a sophisticated snow albedo scheme. WRF-CLM was forced with the NCAR/National Centers for Environmental Prediction Reanalysis II data to simulate for the 2001-2002 snow season for the Columbia River Basin, with 60km-20km two-way nested domains. The initial simulations show that WRF-CLM significantly improves snow simulations when compared to those produced with the WRF coupled to original land surface schemes. The improvements results from the more realistic land surface parameterizations in CLM than those in the WRF original land surface schemes. The study also shows that topography also has a significant impact on snow simulations. At 10 km resolution, CLM produces most accurate snow simulations, although the WRF prescribed elevations at the Snotel stations still have errors at this resolution. Realistic snow simulations with the 20 km resolution WRF-CLM can be achieved when the model prescribed elevations at those Snotel stations were replaced with the observed values, further indicating the importance of the topography to snow simulations. Through this comparison, snow-atmosphere interactions are quantitatively indentified. The improved snow simulations in WRF-CLM will benefit regional hydro-climate research and forecasts.

https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/runoff/2010/AllAbstracts/23