CASE STUDIES OF NUMERICAL WIND ANALYSES

CAPT. JOHN A. BROWN JR. Joint Numerical Weather Prediction Unit, Suitland, Md.

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JAMES R. NEILON Joint Numerical Weather Prediction Unit, Suitland, Md.

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Abstract

With the aid of an electronic computer, case studies of wind analyses at the 850-mb., 700-mb., 500-mb., 400-mb., 300-mb., and 200-mb. pressure levels have been made. The divergent and non-divergent wind components resulting from the u and v wind-component analyses are investigated. For the cases considered, the streamfunction fields are slightly superior to the Joint Numerical Weather Prediction operational fields, obtained initially through use of the “balance equation.” The magnitude of the horizontal wind divergence values are comparable to those obtained from the winds by previous investigators employing hand-analysis techniques. However, the divergence patterns are not sufficiently accurate for the strict requirements necessary for numerical weather forecasting.

Abstract

With the aid of an electronic computer, case studies of wind analyses at the 850-mb., 700-mb., 500-mb., 400-mb., 300-mb., and 200-mb. pressure levels have been made. The divergent and non-divergent wind components resulting from the u and v wind-component analyses are investigated. For the cases considered, the streamfunction fields are slightly superior to the Joint Numerical Weather Prediction operational fields, obtained initially through use of the “balance equation.” The magnitude of the horizontal wind divergence values are comparable to those obtained from the winds by previous investigators employing hand-analysis techniques. However, the divergence patterns are not sufficiently accurate for the strict requirements necessary for numerical weather forecasting.

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