Numerical Simulations with a Three-Dimensional Mesoscale Model

Abstract

Four numerical experiments are conducted using a mesoscale primitive equation model. The experiments illustrate the broad spectrum of applications made possible by the model's flexibility in treating subgrid-scale parameterizations, lateral boundary conditions and physical processes appropriate to the scale of each simulation. One experiment uses real synoptic-scale data to produce a 12 h forecast that is compared to the observed circulation and precipitation patterns. The other experiments are initialized with idealized flows over areas ranging in size from regional to small mesoscale. The idealized flow simulations produce qualitatively realistic features such as Ice side troughs and sea, lake and mountain-valley breezes resulting from differential thermal forcing.