UBC Faculty Research and Publications

Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation of a Three-Dimensional Mesoscale Numerical Model Simulation of a Sea Breeze in Complex Terrain. McKendry, Ian G.; Steyn, Douw G.

Abstract

This study presents an evaluation of the performance of the Colorado State University (CSU) three-dimensional numerical mesoscale model. The evaluation consists of quantitative and qualitative comparisons of the model output with observed data. The observations were undertaken in the lower Fraser Valley of British Columbia, Canada on 23 August 1985 utilizing up to 23 fixed stations for anemometry, three acoustic sounders, one tethersonde and one set of instruments for determining the surface energy budget terms. The modeling covers a 24-hour period during which a wed-developed sea breeze was observed. While the results of the model evaluation apply to the single case presented, they have implications for a wide range of cases. The statistical methods of Willmott are applied to hourly averaged variables to assess the model's performance. The evaluation shows that the model is capable of providing very realistic wind and temperature fields within the broad coastal valley which makes up the bulk of the domain. The modeled mixed layer depth, surface energy budget terms and wind profiles are in good agreement with observed data. Copyright 1988 American Meteorological Society (AMS). Permission to use figures, tables, and brief excerpts from this work in scientific and educational works is hereby granted provided that the source is acknowledged. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be “fair use” under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 USC §108, as revised by P.L. 94-553) does not require the AMS’s permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form, such as on a web site or in a searchable database, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statement, requires written permission or a license from the AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policy, available on the AMS Web site located at (http://www.ametsoc.org/) or from the AMS at 617-227-2425 or copyright@ametsoc.org.

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