Numerical Modeling of the Summer Heat Low over Australia

Abstract

One of the most striking synoptic features of the Australian tropics is the well-developed heat low which persists throughout the summer months. In spite of its significance, the heat low has not, up to the present, been well simulated by numerical forecast models. In this article, a simple surface heat balance scheme has been incorporated in a large-scale numerical forecast model in order to improve the modeling of the heat low. The scheme was tested on more than a month of consecutive days that were typical heat low situations. In almost all cases there was a significant improvement in the representation of the heat low.