Improving Lake-Breeze Simulation with WRF Nested LES and Lake Model over a Large Shallow Lake

Abstract

AbstractThe Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model is used in large-eddy simulation (LES) mode to investigate a lake-breeze case occurring on 12 June 2012 over the Lake Taihu region of China. Observational data from 15 locations, wind profiler radar, and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) are used to evaluate the WRF nested-LES performance in simulating lake breezes. Results indicate that the simulated temporal and spatial variations of the lake breeze by WRF nested LES are consistent with observations. The simulations with high-resolution grid spacing and the LES scheme have a high correlation coefficient and low mean bias when evaluated against 2-m temperature, 10-m wind, and horizontal and vertical lake-breeze circulations. The atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) remains stable over the lake throughout the lake-breeze event, and the stability becomes even stronger as the lake breeze reaches its mature stage. The improved ABL simulation with LES at a grid spacing of 150 m indicates that the non-LES planetary boundary layer parameterization scheme does not adequately represent subgrid-scale turbulent motions. Running WRF fully coupled to a lake model improves lake-surface temperature and consequently the lake-breeze simulations. Allowing for additional model spinup results in a positive impact on lake-surface temperature prediction but is a heavy computational burden. Refinement of a water-property parameter used in the Community Land Model, version 4.5, within WRF and constraining the lake-surface temperature with observational data would further improve lake-breeze representation.