HR: 11:05h
AN: H42D-04    [Abstracts]
TI: Improving Convective Precipitation Forecasting through Assimilation of Data-Forced Land Surface Parameters
AU: * Serpetzoglou, E
EM: eserp@ath.hcmr.gr
AF: Hellenic Center for Marine Research, Institute of Inland Waters, Anavisos, 19013, Greece
AU: Papadopoulos, A
EM: tpapa@ath.hcmr.gr
AF: Hellenic Center for Marine Research, Institute of Inland Waters, Anavisos, 19013, Greece
AU: Anagnostou, E
EM: manos@engr.uconn.edu
AF: Hellenic Center for Marine Research, Institute of Inland Waters, Anavisos, 19013, Greece
AU: Anagnostou, E
EM: manos@engr.uconn.edu
AF: University of Connecticut, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Unit 2037, Storrs, CT 06269, United States
AB: Ongoing research investigates the potential of advancing our understanding on land-atmosphere interaction processes, e.g., soil state and precipitation feedbacks, through data assimilation of ground-based and remotely sensed data into atmospheric and land surface models. In this study, we examine the impact of assimilating radar rainfall data in the land surface scheme of an atmospheric mesoscale model as forcing term instead of the model-generated fields. The experimental design is based on a 2-day-long mesoscale convective system (central North America, July 2004), including multiple 84-hour runs that cover a variety of assimilation periods. The sensitivity of the model's performance in varying soil state conditions is initially verified through continuous (84-hour) data assimilation. Shorter time assimilation periods (12-, 24-, and 36-hour) prior to the 48-hour storm event are then utilized to assess the effectiveness of the technique for improving convective precipitation forecasting. In most cases, assimilation of radar rainfall data brings the simulated precipitation fields closer to the observed ones, as compared to the control simulation. The potential of identifying the most suitable time duration for implementing the assimilation technique based on the criteria of best forecasting performance and shortest assimilation period is further discussed.
DE: 1843 Land/atmosphere interactions (1218, 1631, 3322)
DE: 1847 Modeling
DE: 1854 Precipitation (3354)
DE: 1855 Remote sensing (1640)
DE: 1866 Soil moisture
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting