Ensemble-based diurnally varying background error covariances and their impact on short-term weather forecasting

Abstract

Background error covariance (BEC) plays an essential role in variational data assimilation. Most variational data assimilation systems still use static BEC. Actually, the characteristics of BEC vary with season, day, and even hour of the background. National Meteorological Center–based diurnally varying BECs had been proposed, but the diurnal variation characteristics were gained by climatic samples. Ensemble methods can obtain the background error characteristics that suit the samples in the current moment. Therefore, to gain more reasonable diurnally varying BECs, in this study, ensemble-based diurnally varying BECs are generated and the diurnal variation characteristics are discussed. Their impacts are then evaluated by cycling data assimilation and forecasting experiments for a week based on the operational China Meteorological Administration-Beijing system. Clear diurnal variation in the standard deviation of ensemble forecasts and ensemble-based BECs can be identified, consistent with the diurnal variation characteristics of the atmosphere. The results of one-week cycling data assimilation and forecasting show that the application of diurnally varying BECs reduces the RMSEs in the analysis and 6-h forecast. Detailed analysis of a convective rainfall case shows that the distribution of the accumulated precipitation forecast using the diurnally varying BECs is closer to the observation than using the static BEC. Besides, the cycle-averaged precipitation scores in all magnitudes are improved, especially for the heavy precipitation, indicating the potential of using diurnally varying BEC in operational applications.摘要背景场误差协方差在资料同化系统中具有非常重要的作用, 目前业务变分同化系统中常采用静态背景场误差协方差, 未考虑其具体的日变化特征. 为构建更为合理且便于业务系统应用的日变化背景误差协方差, 本文构建了高分辨率集合预报样本的日变化背景场误差协方差, 揭示了其日变化特征, 并应用到了CMA-BJ业务系统中, 开展了基于业务框架的批量循环同化预报试验. 结果表明, 背景场误差存在明显的日变化特征, 采用集合日变化背景场误差协方差能够改进模式的预报效果.