Assessment of WRF Land Surface Model Performance over West Africa
Simulations with four land surface models (LSMs) (i.e., Noah, Noah-MP, Noah-MP with ground water GW option, and CLM4) using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model at 12 km horizontal grid resolution were carried out as two sets for 3 months (December–February 2011/2012 and July–September 2...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Advances in Meteorology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/6205308 |
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| author | Ifeanyi C. Achugbu Jimy Dudhia Ayorinde A. Olufayo Ifeoluwa A. Balogun Elijah A. Adefisan Imoleayo E. Gbode |
| author_facet | Ifeanyi C. Achugbu Jimy Dudhia Ayorinde A. Olufayo Ifeoluwa A. Balogun Elijah A. Adefisan Imoleayo E. Gbode |
| author_sort | Ifeanyi C. Achugbu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Simulations with four land surface models (LSMs) (i.e., Noah, Noah-MP, Noah-MP with ground water GW option, and CLM4) using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model at 12 km horizontal grid resolution were carried out as two sets for 3 months (December–February 2011/2012 and July–September 2012) over West Africa. The objective is to assess the performance of WRF LSMs in simulating meteorological parameters over West Africa. The model precipitation was assessed against TRMM while surface temperature was compared with the ERA-Interim reanalysis dataset. Results show that the LSMs performed differently for different variables in different land-surface conditions. Based on precipitation and temperature, Noah-MP GW is overall the best for all the variables and seasons in combination, while Noah came last. Specifically, Noah-MP GW performed best for JAS temperature and precipitation; CLM4 was the best in simulating DJF precipitation, while Noah was the best in simulating DJF temperature. Noah-MP GW has the wettest Sahel while Noah has the driest one. The strength of the Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ) is strongest in Noah-MP GW and Noah-MP compared with that in CLM4 and Noah. The core of the African Easterly Jet (AEJ) lies around 12°N in Noah and 15°N for Noah-MP GW. Noah-MP GW and Noah-MP simulations have stronger influx of moisture advection from the southwesterly monsoonal wind than the CLM4 and Noah with Noah showing the least influx. Also, analysis of the evaporative fraction shows sharp gradient for Noah-MP GW and Noah-MP with wetter Sahel further to the north and further to the south for Noah. Noah-MP-GW has the highest amount of soil moisture, while the CLM4 has the least for both the JAS and DJF seasons. The CLM4 has the highest LH for both DJF and JAS seasons but however has the least SH for both DJF and JAS seasons. The principal difference between the LSMs is in the vegetation representation, description, and parameterization of the soil water column; hence, improvement is recommended in this regard. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7a35aef8351c4853a54ba5190f63d072 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1687-9309 1687-9317 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Advances in Meteorology |
| spelling | doaj-art-7a35aef8351c4853a54ba5190f63d0722025-02-03T06:46:34ZengWileyAdvances in Meteorology1687-93091687-93172020-01-01202010.1155/2020/62053086205308Assessment of WRF Land Surface Model Performance over West AfricaIfeanyi C. Achugbu0Jimy Dudhia1Ayorinde A. Olufayo2Ifeoluwa A. Balogun3Elijah A. Adefisan4Imoleayo E. Gbode5Department of Water Resources Management and Agrometeorology, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, NigeriaMesoscale and Microscale Meteorology Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USAWest African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land-Use (WASCAL), Federal University of Technology Akure, Akure, Ondo State, NigeriaWest African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land-Use (WASCAL), Federal University of Technology Akure, Akure, Ondo State, NigeriaWest African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land-Use (WASCAL), Federal University of Technology Akure, Akure, Ondo State, NigeriaWest African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land-Use (WASCAL), Federal University of Technology Akure, Akure, Ondo State, NigeriaSimulations with four land surface models (LSMs) (i.e., Noah, Noah-MP, Noah-MP with ground water GW option, and CLM4) using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model at 12 km horizontal grid resolution were carried out as two sets for 3 months (December–February 2011/2012 and July–September 2012) over West Africa. The objective is to assess the performance of WRF LSMs in simulating meteorological parameters over West Africa. The model precipitation was assessed against TRMM while surface temperature was compared with the ERA-Interim reanalysis dataset. Results show that the LSMs performed differently for different variables in different land-surface conditions. Based on precipitation and temperature, Noah-MP GW is overall the best for all the variables and seasons in combination, while Noah came last. Specifically, Noah-MP GW performed best for JAS temperature and precipitation; CLM4 was the best in simulating DJF precipitation, while Noah was the best in simulating DJF temperature. Noah-MP GW has the wettest Sahel while Noah has the driest one. The strength of the Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ) is strongest in Noah-MP GW and Noah-MP compared with that in CLM4 and Noah. The core of the African Easterly Jet (AEJ) lies around 12°N in Noah and 15°N for Noah-MP GW. Noah-MP GW and Noah-MP simulations have stronger influx of moisture advection from the southwesterly monsoonal wind than the CLM4 and Noah with Noah showing the least influx. Also, analysis of the evaporative fraction shows sharp gradient for Noah-MP GW and Noah-MP with wetter Sahel further to the north and further to the south for Noah. Noah-MP-GW has the highest amount of soil moisture, while the CLM4 has the least for both the JAS and DJF seasons. The CLM4 has the highest LH for both DJF and JAS seasons but however has the least SH for both DJF and JAS seasons. The principal difference between the LSMs is in the vegetation representation, description, and parameterization of the soil water column; hence, improvement is recommended in this regard.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/6205308 |
| spellingShingle | Ifeanyi C. Achugbu Jimy Dudhia Ayorinde A. Olufayo Ifeoluwa A. Balogun Elijah A. Adefisan Imoleayo E. Gbode Assessment of WRF Land Surface Model Performance over West Africa Advances in Meteorology |
| title | Assessment of WRF Land Surface Model Performance over West Africa |
| title_full | Assessment of WRF Land Surface Model Performance over West Africa |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of WRF Land Surface Model Performance over West Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of WRF Land Surface Model Performance over West Africa |
| title_short | Assessment of WRF Land Surface Model Performance over West Africa |
| title_sort | assessment of wrf land surface model performance over west africa |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/6205308 |
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