High resolution simulations of the December 2007 ice storm in the Southern Great Plains Region: comparison of microphysics schemes with ARM observations

Poster PDF

Description

High resolution (4 km) simulations of a severe winter weather event in the Southern Great Plains are conducted using the Advanced Research WRF model. At this resolution convection is explicitly resolved, but cloud microphysical processes remain parameterized. The WRF-ARW has a number of microphysics schemes able to simulate cold season precipitation processes. A sensitivity study is conducted, where the evolution of the event is compared across all applicable microphysics parameterizations and observations of cloud properties from ARM instruments and the NEXRAD radar. Modeled cloud properties and vertical structure also are considered for a specific period within the event. Finally, methodology and early results are discussed, from nested simulations at cloud resolving resolutions (1 km), for the same case study.