Simulating extreme precipitation over the Arabian Peninsula using a convective-permitting sub-seasonal reforecast product

Abstract

<p>Despite being one of the driest places in the world, the Arabian Peninsula (AP) occasionally experiences extreme precipitation events associated with organized convections. On 25 November 2009, for instance, a cutoff low driven rainfall exceeding 140 mm over a 6-hour period triggered a flash flood event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, claiming hundreds of lives and substantially damaging infrastructure. Similar extreme precipitation events have occurred in subsequent years. To assess the potential predictability of extreme precipitation in the Arabian Peninsula, we perform retrospective forecast simulations for several extreme events occurring over the period 2000 to 2018, out to a sub-seasonal timescale (3-4 weeks). Using the Advanced Research version of Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF-ARW), we dynamically downscale 11 ensemble members of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) sub-seasonal reforecasts at convective-permitting resolution (4 km). WRF simulated precipitation is evaluated against various precipitation products, including the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) system, Climate Prediction Center morphing technique (CMORPH), and the Saudi Ministry of Water and Electricity(MOWE) and the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment(PME) regional rain gauge measurements. The convective-permitting WRF simulations substantially improve the representation of precipitation relative to the ECMWF reforecast, in terms of spatial distribution and timing. A specific focus in the presentation of the results will be on the potential value added by the use of convective-permitting modeling (CPM) to forecasting extreme events at sub-seasonal timescales. The predictability of the synoptic pattern could be the key for CPM sub-seasonal-type forecast for the AP.</p>