Abstract
We evaluated the performance of the high-resolution (333 m) Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model in simulating the flow structure at a complex coastal site in Boseong, South Korea, on 15 July 2018, against observations obtained from a 300 m tower and radiosonde, and analyzed the model results to interpret the measurements. The study site is surrounded by mountains, valleys, and bays, and is adjacent to the South Sea; thus, it is influenced by terrain-forced flow and thermally driven circulation. The study day was characterized by the development of nighttime low-level wind maximum (LLWM) and daytime sea breeze under weak synoptic wind conditions. Although the WRF model simulated the onset and cessation of a sea breeze later than was observed, it showed good skill in reproducing the near-surface temperatures, wind vectors, and vertical profiles of potential temperatures and wind vectors in the atmospheric boundary layer at the study site. We analyzed the model results at 05:30 and 14:30 LST when the model’s performance was good for wind. At 05:30 LST, hydraulic jump produced weak wind conditions below 300 m above ground level (AGL), and westerly down-valley flow developed near the surface, leading to an LLWM. At 14:30 LST, heating over land produced a thermal high over land at 1800 m AGL, counteracting the synoptic pressure gradient, and leading to weak wind conditions at this level. We performed three sensitivity simulations to examine the dependence of flow structure on the horizontal and vertical resolution. The results show that an early-morning hydraulic jump can be simulated by applying a high-resolution model in both the horizontal and vertical grids, and the simulated onset and cessation times of the sea breeze depend on the model’s resolution. The dependence of flow structure on the model resolution has been discussed.
Highlights
Where Oi and Pi are the observed and modeled values of the variables, respectively, and the overbar indicates the mean of the variable
Outsynoptic of the 16flow dayswas of the intensive observation period (IOP),weak, we selected
We evaluated the performance of the high-resolution Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model in simulating the thermal and flow structure of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) for a sea-breeze event on 15 July 2018 against observations taken from AWS/ASOS, a 300 m tower and radiosonde
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) is the bottom layer of the troposphere, which is in contact with the surface of the Earth [1]. Growth of crops, dwellings, etc., take place in the ABL. An accurate prediction of wind in the ABL is required for the better forecasting of air pollution, assessment of wind–energy resources and agriculture, etc. Many modeling and observational studies have been performed on wind and turbulence within the ABL [2,3]. Urban air mobility has been emerging as a new alternative solution for ground traffic congestion [4]
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.