Evaluation of WRF planetary boundary layer schemes for high-resolution wind simulations in Northeastern Thailand

Abstract

This paper evaluates planetary boundary layer (PBL) schemes of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for high-resolution wind simulation in northeastern Thailand. WRF wind simulations at 5-km resolution at 65 and 90 m above ground initiated at 4 different times, i.e., at 00, 06, 12, and 18Z, of 6 days in 2013 for 8 different combinations of 7 PBL schemes, land surface model, and surface layer are evaluated using hourly average wind observations at 6 wind stations distributed in northeastern Thailand. Results at 65 and 90 m above ground are similar. Simulations at the 2nd hour have minimum errors. The combination of the Yonsei University (YSU) PBL scheme, the Noah surface model, and the MM5 Similarity surface layer performs best. Further evaluation of the YSU combination by adding simulations for 4 more days in 2013 for the same 6 wind stations and 10 days in 2012 for the other set of 6 wind stations shows that the YSU wind simulations agree well with observations, have good utility for wind speeds above 2 m/s, and are useful for wind energy development in northeastern Thailand.