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Article Type:
Research Article

Understanding Orographic Effects on Surface Observations at Macquarie Island

Zhan Wang School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Monash, Victoria, Australia

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Danijel Belusic Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, United Kingdom

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Yi Huang School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Monash, and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Steven T. Siems School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Monash, and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Michael J. Manton School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Monash, Victoria, Australia

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Print Publication:
01 Nov 2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JAMC-D-15-0305.1
Page(s):
2377–2395
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Abstract

The meteorological observations on Macquarie Island have become of increasing value for efforts to understand the unique nature of atmospheric processes over the Southern Ocean. While the island is of modest elevation (peak altitude of 410 m), the orographic effects on observations on this island are still not clear. High-resolution numerical simulations [Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model] with and without terrain have been used to identify orographic effects for four cases representing common synoptic patterns at Macquarie Island: a cold front, a warm front, postfrontal drizzle, and a midlatitude cyclone. Although the simulations cannot capture every possible feature of the precipitation, preliminary results show that clouds and precipitation can readily be perturbed by the island with the main enhancement of precipitation normally in the lee in accordance with the nondimensional mountain height being much less than 1. The weather station is located at the far north end of the island and is only in the lee to southerly and southwesterly winds, which are normally associated with drizzle. The station is on the upwind side for strong northwesterly winds, which are most common and can bring heavier frontal precipitation. Overall the orographic effect on the precipitation record is not found to be significant, except for the enhancement of drizzle found in southwesterly winds. Given the strong winds over the Southern Ocean and the shallow height of the island, the 3D nondimensional mountain height is smaller than 1 in 93.5% of the soundings. As a result, boundary layer flow commonly passes over the island, with the greatest impact in the lee.

Current affiliation: Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Norrköping, Sweden.

Corresponding author address: Steven T. Siems, School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Wellington Rd. and Blackburn Rd., Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia. E-mail: steven.siems@monash.edu

Abstract

The meteorological observations on Macquarie Island have become of increasing value for efforts to understand the unique nature of atmospheric processes over the Southern Ocean. While the island is of modest elevation (peak altitude of 410 m), the orographic effects on observations on this island are still not clear. High-resolution numerical simulations [Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model] with and without terrain have been used to identify orographic effects for four cases representing common synoptic patterns at Macquarie Island: a cold front, a warm front, postfrontal drizzle, and a midlatitude cyclone. Although the simulations cannot capture every possible feature of the precipitation, preliminary results show that clouds and precipitation can readily be perturbed by the island with the main enhancement of precipitation normally in the lee in accordance with the nondimensional mountain height being much less than 1. The weather station is located at the far north end of the island and is only in the lee to southerly and southwesterly winds, which are normally associated with drizzle. The station is on the upwind side for strong northwesterly winds, which are most common and can bring heavier frontal precipitation. Overall the orographic effect on the precipitation record is not found to be significant, except for the enhancement of drizzle found in southwesterly winds. Given the strong winds over the Southern Ocean and the shallow height of the island, the 3D nondimensional mountain height is smaller than 1 in 93.5% of the soundings. As a result, boundary layer flow commonly passes over the island, with the greatest impact in the lee.

Current affiliation: Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Norrköping, Sweden.

Corresponding author address: Steven T. Siems, School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Wellington Rd. and Blackburn Rd., Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia. E-mail: steven.siems@monash.edu
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