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Numerical Simulations of the Impacts of Land-Cover Change on Cold Fronts in South-West Western Australia

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Abstract

The south-west of Western Australia has experienced significant land-cover change as well as a decline in rainfall. Given that most precipitation in the region results from frontal passages, the impact of land-cover change on the dynamics of cold fronts is explored using the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System version 6.0. Frontal simulations are evaluated against high resolution atmospheric soundings, station observations, and gridded rainfall analyses and shown to reproduce the qualitative features of cold fronts. Land-cover change results in a decrease in total frontal precipitation through a decrease in boundary-layer turbulent kinetic energy and vertically integrated moisture convergence, and an increase in wind speed within the lower boundary layer. Such processes contribute to reduced convective rainfall under current vegetation cover.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Science, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia

    J. Kala & T. J. Lyons

  2. Earth System Science Center, National Space Science and Technology Center, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL, 35806, USA

    U. S. Nair

  3. Centre of Excellence for Climate Change Woodland and Forest Health, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia

    T. J. Lyons & U. S. Nair

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  1. J. Kala
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  2. T. J. Lyons
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  3. U. S. Nair
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Correspondence to J. Kala.

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Kala, J., Lyons, T.J. & Nair, U.S. Numerical Simulations of the Impacts of Land-Cover Change on Cold Fronts in South-West Western Australia. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 138, 121–138 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-010-9547-3

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