CRGAQS: Meteorological Modeling

1
CRGAQSMeteorological Modeling

• Presentation to the
• SWCAA
• By
• ENVIRON International Corporation
• Alpine Geophysics, LLC
• August 17, 2006

2
Todays Presentation

• Further additional evaluation of MM5 performance
• Compare 4/12-km results
• Compare Final (Run 6) against UW (Run 3)
• Analyses conducted for
• 4-km surface wind fields in Gorge area
• Wind, temperature, humidity time series at west,
  central, east sites

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Todays Presentation

• PBL/mixing heights
• Cloud cover and fog on 4-km grid
• Wind, temperature, RH at Wishram

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Conclusions

• Winds similar among
• 4-km and 12-km grids
• Final Run 6 and UW Run 3
• Possible slight edge to Run 6 4-km winds due to
  observation nudging
• Temperature/humidity
• UW Run 3 better for November
• Final Run 6 _at_12-km better for August

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Conclusions

• Clouds/fog
• Unimportant for August episode
• Very important for November episode
• UW Run 3 generates more low clouds/flog
• But less high large-scale cloudiness
• Recommendation
• Use Final Run 6 12-km for August
• Use UW Run 3 4-km for November

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Wind Performance, August 2004

• Hi bscat 8/10-8/16, 8/19
• Similar performance, both runs, both grids
• Poor performance at central sites 8/10-8/13
• Wind opposite direction
• Good performance 8/14-8/22
• Maybe too light on some days

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UW 4km
8
UW 12km
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Run 6 4km
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Run 6 12km
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Wind Performance, November 2004

• Hi bscat 11/8-11/13
• Similar performance, both runs, both grids
• Final Run 6 a bit better (nudging?)
• Overall better performance than for August
  episode
• Very good performance over 11/8-11/13
• Some stagnation leads to wind direction errors
• Some windy periods are too light

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UW 4km
13
UW 12km
14
Run 6 12km
15
Run 6 12km
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Cloud Cover

• August 2004 notes at Wishram camera

8/10 Scattered clouds lt half of sky, No layered
haze 8/11 No clouds, No layered haze 8/12
Scattered clouds lt half of sky, No layered
haze 8/13 No clouds, No layered haze 8/14 (high)
Overcast gt half of sky, No layered haze 8/15
Scattered clouds lt half of sky, No layered
haze 8/16 (high thin) Overcast gt half of sky, No
layered haze 8/17 (high thin) Overcast gt half of
sky, No layered haze 8/18 (high thin) Overcast gt
half of sky, No layered haze 8/19 Scattered
clouds lt half of sky, No layered haze 8/20 (high
thin) Overcast gt half of sky, No layered
haze 8/21 (high) Overcast gt half of sky, No
layered haze 8/22 Overcast gt half of sky, No
layered haze
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August 2004 Cloud Cover

• Performance appears adequate
• MM5 cannot replicate high thin/wispy cirrus
• MM5 usually underperforms for scattered
  small-scale afternoon cumulus
• These should not play significant role in
  regional PM chemistry
• Choice of MM5 not important

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Wishram Camera
August 14, noon
Pristine
19
Run 6
Low
High
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UW Run 3
Low
High
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Cloud Cover

• November 2004 notes at Wishram camera

11/3 Scattered clouds lt half of sky, No layered
haze 11/4 No clouds, Ground-based layered haze
only 11/5 (high thin) Overcast gt half of sky, No
layered haze (hazy) 11/6 Scattered clouds lt half
of sky, Ground-based layered haze only 11/7
Overcast gt half of sky, No layered haze
(hazy) 11/8 Overcast gt half of sky, Weather
concealing scene (thick haze) 11/9 Overcast gt
half of sky, Weather concealing scene (thick
haze) 11/10 Overcast gt half of sky, Weather
concealing scene (fog) 11/11 Overcast gt half of
sky, Weather concealing scene (thick haze) 11/12
Overcast gt half of sky, Weather concealing scene
(fog) 11/13 Overcast gt half of sky, Weather
concealing scene (thick haze) 11/14 Overcast gt
half of sky, Weather concealing scene (distant
fog) 11/15 Overcast gt half of sky, Weather
concealing scene 11/16 Overcast gt half of sky, No
layered haze 11/17 Scattered clouds lt half of
sky, No layered haze 11/18 Overcast gt half of
sky, No layered haze
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November 2004 Cloud Cover

• Large-scale higher clouds appear well simulated
• Run 6 makes more large-scale (higher) cloudiness
• Low-level cloud/fog events are not
• Run 3 makes more low-level (foggy) clouds
• Especially on the high bscat days
• This will impact aqueous PM chemistry

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Wishram Camera
November 10, noon
Pristine
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Run 6
Low
High
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UW Run 3
Low
High
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Wishram Camera
November 13, noon
Pristine
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Run 6
UW Run 3
Low
Low
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August 2004 Meteorology

• Wind speed/direction well simulated
• Both grids, both MM5 configurations
• Run 6 4-km temperatures are highly suspect
• Run 6 12-km is better
• But min temps too warm during haze period
• Better characterization of afternoon mixing?
• Run 3 4- 12-km are better
• But too cool during haze period

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August 2004 Meteorology

• Run 6 4-km humidity too wet
• Run 6 12-km humidity better
• But not high enough in early morning (related to
  high min temps)
• Run 3 4- 12-km humidity better
• But not high enough in early morning
• Overall Run 6 12-km met looks best

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UW 4km Wind Speed
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Run 6 4km Wind Speed
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UW 4km Wind Direction
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Run 6 4km Wind Direction
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Wishram Meteorology
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Wishram Meteorology
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UW 4km Temperature
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Run 6 4km Temperature
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Run 6 12km Temperature
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Wishram Meteorology
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UW/Run 6 PBL Heights
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UW 4km Mixing Ratio
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Run 6 4km Mixing Ratio
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Run 6 12km Mixing Ratio
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Wishram Meteorology
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November 2004 Meteorology

• Wind speed/direction performance appears
  acceptable
• Both grids, both simulations
• Run 6 perhaps a bit better (nudging)
• Run 6 4-km temperature performance is poor
• Run 6 12-km better
• Run 3 4-km much better
• Run 6 4-km humidity is too low no fog
• Run 6 12-km better
• Run 3 4-km much better
• Overall Run 3 4-km looks best

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UW 4km Wind Speed
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Run 6 4km Wind Speed
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UW 4km Wind Direction
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Run 6 4km Wind Direction
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Wishram Meteorology
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Wishram Meteorology
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UW 4km Temperature
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Run 6 4km Temperature
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Run 6 12km Temperature
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Wishram Meteorology
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UW/Run 6 PBL Heights
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UW 4km Mixing Ratio
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Run 6 4km Mixing Ratio
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Run 6 12km Mixing Ratio
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Wishram Meteorology