Abstract
In this work the sensitivity of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to a choice of parameterization modulating the cloud-radiation feedbacks is assessed. Two 5-year (1990–1994) climate simulations covering Europe were conducted using WRF-ARW v3.6.1 with 0.44° spatial resolution. In the base-case, WRF does not consider cumulus cloud feedbacks to radiation, while in the modified case the subgrid-scale cloudiness associated with convection, is taken into account. The results are compared with the base case and the differences for shortwave downward radiation at the surface, total cloud cover and convective available potential energy (CAPE) are discussed. Our analysis indicates that including subgrid-scale cumulus clouds in the radiation scheme leads to a decrease of shortwave radiation at the surface and convective precipitation. The behavior of CAPE is more complex and can be either decreasing (southern Europe) or increasing (northern Europe).
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The climate simulations have been performed in the EGI/HellasGrid infrastructures.
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Vavritsa, M., Katragkou, E., Kartsios, S., Pytharoulis, I., Karacostas, T.S. (2017). Sensitivity Study of Cloud-Radiation Feedbacks in a Regional Climate Model Simulation Over Europe. In: Karacostas, T., Bais, A., Nastos, P. (eds) Perspectives on Atmospheric Sciences. Springer Atmospheric Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-35095-0_96
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-35095-0_96
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