Article Type:
Research Article

Influence of Precipitation Assimilation on a Regional Climate Model’s Surface Water and Energy Budgets

Ana M. B. Nunes Experimental Climate Prediction Center, Climate Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California

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John O. Roads Experimental Climate Prediction Center, Climate Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California

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Print Publication:
01 Aug 2007
Collections:
The Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JHM615.1
Page(s):
642–664
Restricted access

Abstract

Initialization of the moisture profiles has been used to overcome the imbalance between analysis schemes and prediction models that generates the so-called spinup problem seen in the hydrological fields. Here precipitation assimilation through moisture adjustment has been proposed as a technique to reduce this problem in regional climate simulations by adjusting the specific humidity according to 3-hourly North American Regional Reanalysis rain rates during two simulated years: 1988 and 1993. A control regional simulation provided the initial condition fields for both simulations. The precipitation assimilation simulation was then compared to the control regional climate simulation, reanalyses, and observations to determine whether assimilation of precipitation had a positive influence on modeled surface water and energy budget terms. In general, rainfall assimilation improved the regional model surface water and energy budget terms over the conterminous United States. Precipitation and runoff correlated better than the control and the global reanalysis fields to the regional reanalysis and available observations. Upward shortwave and downward short- and longwave radiation fluxes had regional seasonal cycles closer to the observed values than the control, and the near-surface temperature anomalies were also improved.

Corresponding author address: Ana M. B. Nunes, Climate Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0224. Email: anunes@ucsd.edu

This article included in the The Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) special collection.

Abstract

Initialization of the moisture profiles has been used to overcome the imbalance between analysis schemes and prediction models that generates the so-called spinup problem seen in the hydrological fields. Here precipitation assimilation through moisture adjustment has been proposed as a technique to reduce this problem in regional climate simulations by adjusting the specific humidity according to 3-hourly North American Regional Reanalysis rain rates during two simulated years: 1988 and 1993. A control regional simulation provided the initial condition fields for both simulations. The precipitation assimilation simulation was then compared to the control regional climate simulation, reanalyses, and observations to determine whether assimilation of precipitation had a positive influence on modeled surface water and energy budget terms. In general, rainfall assimilation improved the regional model surface water and energy budget terms over the conterminous United States. Precipitation and runoff correlated better than the control and the global reanalysis fields to the regional reanalysis and available observations. Upward shortwave and downward short- and longwave radiation fluxes had regional seasonal cycles closer to the observed values than the control, and the near-surface temperature anomalies were also improved.

Corresponding author address: Ana M. B. Nunes, Climate Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0224. Email: anunes@ucsd.edu

This article included in the The Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) special collection.

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