Abstract
We present an application of a fine-resolution, meso-urban meteorological model (urbanized MM5; uMM5) to a multi-day episode in August 2000 in the Houston-Galveston Texas, USA region. The model’s episodic performance and its response to small changes in land-cover and surface physical properties in the area, e.g., scenarios of urban heat island mitigation, are evaluated. The model formulation is reviewed along with its parameterizations, data needs, and fine-resolution geometrical input. Development of scenarios of increased urban albedo and vegetative cover is also discussed. This initial application of the uMM5 to the Houston-Galveston region serves as a basis for future model improvements, evaluation of newer data and parameterization applications, testing more aggressive surface modification scenarios, and performing fine-resolution photochemical modelling. It also provides data for comparison of model results with those from previous studies of this region.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ballard SP, Golding BW and Smith RNB (1991). Mesoscale model experimental forecasts of the Haar of Northeast Scotland. Mon Wea Rev 119: 2107–2123
Bornstein RD, Balmori RTF, Taha H, Byun D, Cheng B, Nielsen-Gammon J, Burian S, Stetson S, Estes M, Nowak D, Smith P (2006) Modeling the effects of land-use/land-cover modifications on the urban heat island phenomena in Houston TX. Final Report for Project R-04-0055 prepared for Houston Advanced Research Center, Houston TX. Report available at: http://www.files.harc.edu/Projects/CoolHouston/Documents/ModelingEffectsOnHeatIsland.pdf
Burian S, Han WS and Brown M (2003). Morphological analyses using 3-D building databases: Houston Texas. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Utah
Byun D, Kim ST, Czader B et al (2004) Modeling effects of land-use/land-cover modifications on the urban heat island phenomenon in Houston TX, University of Houston
Chen F, Kusaka H, Tewari M, Bao J-W, Hirakuchi H (2004) Utilizing the coupled WRF/LSM/urban modelling system with detailed urban classification to simulate the urban heat island phenomenon over the greater Houston area. Paper presented at the American Meteorological Society Fifth Symposium on the Urban Environment, Vancouver, British Columbia, 23–27 August 2004
Ching J, Dupont S, Gilliam R, Burian S, Tang R (2004) Neighborhood scale air quality modeling in Houston using urban canopy parameters in MM5 and CMAQ with improved characterization of mesoscale lake-land breeze circulation. Paper presented at the American Meteorological Society Fifth Symposium on the Urban Environment, Vancouver, British Columbia, 23–27 August 2004
Dudhia J (1993). A non-hydrostatic version of the Penn State/NCAR mesoscale model: validation tests and simulation of an Atlantic cyclone and cold front. Mon Wea Rev 121: 1493–1513
Dupont S and Mestayer PG (2006). Parameterization of the urban energy budget with the submesoscale soil model. J Appl Meteorol Climatol 45: 1744–1765
Dupont S, Otte T and Ching J (2004). Simulation of meteorological fields within and above urban and rural canopies with a mesoscale model. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 113: 111–158
Dupont S, Mestayer PG and Guilloteau E (2006). Parameterization of the urban water budget with the submesoscale soil model. J Appl Meteorol Climatol 45: 624–648
Emery C, Tai E, Yarwood G (2001) Enhanced meteorological modeling and performance evaluation for two Texas ozone episodes. Report prepared for the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission by Environ International Corp., Novato, California
GEM (2003) Satellite data processing for land use and cover type classification. Final Report TFS-3-027 Prepared for the Texas Forest Service, July 8, 2003
Grell GA, Dudhia J, Stauffer DR (1994) A description of the fifth generation PSU/NCAR mesoscale modeling system (MM5). Technical Note NCAR/TN-379+STR, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado
Grimmond S and Oke T (1999). Aerodynamic properties of urban areas derived from analysis of surface form. J Appl Meteorol 38: 1262–1292
Macdonald RW, Griffiths RF and Hall DJ (1998). An improved method for estimation of surface roughness of obstacle arrays. Atmos Environ 32: 1857–1864
Martilli A, Clappier A and Rotach MW (2002). An urban surface exchange parameterization for mesoscale models. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 104: 261–304
Masson V (2000). A physically-based scheme for the urban energy budget in atmospheric models. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 98: 357–37
Noilhan J and Planton S (1989). A simple parameterization of land surface processes for meteorological models. Mon Wea Rev 117: 536–549
Otte TL, Lacser A and Dupont S et al (2004). Implementation of an urban canopy parameterization in a mesoscale meteorological model. J Appl Meteorol 43: 1648–1665
Taha H (1996). Modeling the impacts of increased urban vegetation on the ozone air quality in the south coast air basin. Atmos Environ 30: 3423–3430
Taha H (1997). Modeling the impacts of large-scale Albedo changes on ozone air quality in the south coast air basin. Atmos Environ 31: 1667–1676
Taha H (1999). Modifying a mesoscale meteorological model to better incorporate urban heat storage: a bulk-parameterization approach. J Appl Meteorol 38: 466–473
Taha H (2003) Potential meteorological and air-quality implications of heat-island reduction strategies in the Houston-Galveston TX region. Technical Note HIG-12-2002-01, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, 143 pp
Taha H (2005a) Evaluating meteorological impacts of urban forest and albedo changes in the Houston-Galveston region: a fine-resolution (UCP) meso-urban modeling study of the August–September 2000 episode. Report prepared for the Houston Advanced Research Center by Altostratus Inc., Martinez, California
Taha H (2005b) Surface modifications as a potential ozone air-quality improvement strategy in California: Part I: mesoscale modeling. Final report prepared for the California Energy Commission; available from the CEC website at: http://www.energy.ca.gov/2005publications/CEC-500-2005-128/CEC-500-2005-128.PDF
Taha H, Bornstein RD (1999) Urbanization of meteorological models and implications on simulated heat islands and air quality. Invited paper presented at the International Conference of Biometeorology and International Conference on Urban Climatology, Sydney, Australia, 8–12 November 1999
Taha H, Konopacki S and Gabersek S (1999). Impacts of large-scale surface modifications on meteorological conditions and energy use: a 10-region modeling study. Theor Appl Climatol 62: 175–185
Tesche TW, McNAlly DE, Emery CA et al (2001) Evaluation of the MM5 model over the Midwestern U.S. for three 8-hour oxidant episodes. Report prepared for the Kansas City Ozone Technical Workgroup by Alpine Geophysics LLC and Environ International Corp
Willmott CJ (1982). Some comments on the evaluation of model performance. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 63: 1309–1313
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Taha, H. Episodic Performance and Sensitivity of the Urbanized MM5 (uMM5) to Perturbations in Surface Properties in Houston Texas. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 127, 193–218 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-007-9258-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-007-9258-6