Three real case simulations by Meso-NH

validated against satellite observations

J.-P. Chaboureau and J.-P. PintyLaboratoire d’Aérologie, Toulouse

1. Elbe flood2. BBC shallow clouds3. IMPROVE heavy orographic precipitation

Meso-NH simulation setup• 3 nested models

– 40 km (150x108), 10 km and 2.5 km (160x160)– 50 levels: from 60 m (bot) up to 600 m (top)

• Physics– 1D turb / ECMWF radiation / ISBA surface– Mixed-phase bulk microphysics Pinty-Jabouille

(5 species: cloud water, rain, ice, snow, graupel)– KFBechtold’s convection scheme (40 and 10

km)

• Initialization/coupling with ECMWF analysis(+ use of NCEP forecast for IMPROVE case)

Standard Meso-NH simulations on NEC (SX5) @IDRIS

Model-to-Satellite Approach

Observation Operator radiative

transfer codeSatellite ObservationSynthetic Observation

VIS- IR-MW

Quantitative Comparison with scale

similarity

Forecast qualityReal casestudy Tuning

pertinence

Meso-NH meteo model

convection

µphysics

sub-grid full grid

water vapour

water ice

rainsnowgraupel

The Elbe Flood CaseA 24-h run starting at 00 UTC 12 Aug. 2002

40 km

10 km

2.5 km

Comparison with Meteosat IR12 UTC 12 Aug 00 UTC 13 Aug

Obse

rvati

on

Meso

-NH

03 UTC 12 Aug

10 km grid

Comparison with Radar

12 UTC 12 August

(Rudolf and Rapp 2002)

Meso-NH reflectivities at 3 km

Precipitation3-day rain-

gauge

Meso-NH at 10 km

Meso-NH at 2.5 km

Meso-NH: 24 h Acc. Precip

(Rudolf and Rapp 2002)

00 UTC 12 to 00 UTC 13 Aug

06 UTC 10 to 06 UTC 13 Aug

The BALTEX BRIDGE Campaign Cases

Two 24-h runs starting at 00 UTC on 23 Sept 2001 and 21 May 2003

40 km

10 km

2.5 km

Shallow clouds (23 Sept 2001)Meteosat IR

Meso-NH IR

Observation at CabauwMeteosat Vis

Meso-NH LWPMeso-NH at Cabauw12 UTC

12 UTC

12 UTC

12 UTC00

00 24 h24 h

24 h24 h 2.5 km grid

Two cloud layers (21 May 2003)

Meso-NH LWP

12 UTC

12 UTC

12 UTC

Meso

-NH

Obse

rvati

on

No retrieval

rain!

At Cabauw

Two cloud layers (21 May 2003)Meteosat IR

Meso-NH IR

Meteosat Vis

Meso-NH LWP

12 UTC 21 May

Obse

rvati

on

Meso

-NH

00 UTC 22 May12 UTC 21 May2.5 km

Meteosat IR

Meso-NH IR

The IMPROVE CaseTwo 36-h run starting at

00 UTC 13 Dec 2001

40 km

10 km

2.5 km

1. with ECMWF analysis2. with NCEP-AVN forecast

Comparison with Goes-W Ch406 UTC 13 Dec

Observation Meso-NH + ECMWF

00 UTC 14 Dec

Meso-NH + NCEP

Comparison with Radar

Model reflectivities at 700 hPa

0042 UTC 14 Dec0042 UTC 14 Dec 0045 UTC 14 Dec0045 UTC 14 Dec

Meso-NH + ECMWF Meso-NH + NCEP

0000 UTC 14 Dec0000 UTC 14 Dec

(Gavert et al. 2004 submitted)

0000 UTC 14 Dec0000 UTC 14 Dec

MM5SPOL

Vertical X-sections at 00 UTC 14 Dec3D-ECMWF init 3D-NCEP init

clou

d

2D-ideal case +4h

W +

tem

p

ConclusionThe Model-to-Satellite Approach

Several case studies

An indispensable toolfor evaluating the cloud-schemes

Realistic simulation of cloud weather systemsMisleading representation of shallow clouds?Correct amount of precipitation?Use other spectral range than IR: VIS and MW