Numerical analysis and forecasting of surface-air temperature and water vapor pressure

Abstract

The Amot-Mosby, method of computing near-surface air temperature and water vapor pressure is briefly described. This method, as well as earlier empirical evidence, shows that the properties of the near-surface air respond with relative rapidity to the corresponding properties of the sea surface. A further test of the method was conducted on the periphery of Costa Rica dome, where the sea surface was colder than the air. It was found that even in these relatively abnormal conditions the Amot-Mosby method allows the prediction of air temperature and water vapor pressure with satisfactory accuracy. In small-scale models the method is highly sensitive to the wind speed and to the rate of change of sea surface temperature under the trajectory of the wind, and thus these two parameters must be known with good accuracy. Large-scale models with large time steps are less sensitive to these parameters.