Simulations of Indian summer monsoon using RegCM: a comparison with ERA and GFDL analysis

Abstract

A comprehensive understanding of the variation of Indian summer monsoon (ISM) features is necessary for accurate prediction of seasonal and sub-seasonal scale meteorological parameters. In this study, the summer monsoon features over India are investigated using RegCM simulations over South Asia Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (SA-CORDEX) domain with 45-km spatial resolution. The initial-boundary data are derived from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts Re-Analysis (ERA) and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) analysis for the period 1989 to 2005. For both model simulations, mixed convection scheme (Emmanuel over ocean and Grell over land), Holtslag planetary boundary layer (PBL) scheme and biosphere atmospheric transfer system (BATS) land surface scheme are used throughout the experiment. The simulation results are validated with Climatic Research Unit (CRU) observations of precipitation and temperature. The spatial distribution of precipitation and temperature is reasonably simulated with ERA and GFDL analysis as compared with CRU observation. However, the simulation of precipitation and temperature with ERA analysis iscloser to CRU observations as compared with GFDL analysis. The seasonal scale (JJAS) simulation of precipitation with ERA and GFDL illustrates wet bias (2 mm per day) as compared to CRU observation, whereas temperature simulated with ERA indicated warm bias (1 °C) and GFDL depicts cold bias (2 °C) against CRU observations. The wind magnitude and distribution of ERA simulations show considerably higher magnitude over the western Himalaya which is connected to low values of specific humidity over the same terrain as compared with GFDL.