Non-Gaussian probability densities of convection initiation and development investigated using a particle filter with a storm-scale numerical weather prediction model

Abstract

Non-Gaussian probability density functions (PDFs) in convection initiation (CI) and development were investigated using a particle filter with a storm-scale numerical prediction model and an adaptive observation error estimator (NHM-RPF). An observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) was conducted with a 90-min assimilation period and 1000 particles at a 2-km grid spacing. Pseudosurface observations of potential temperature (PT), winds, water vapor (QV), and pseudoradar observations of rainwater (QR) in the lower troposphere were created in a nature run that simulated a well-developed cumulonimbus. The results of the OSSE (PF) show a significant improvement in comparison to ensemble simulations without any observations. The Gaussianity of the PDFs for PF in the CI area was evaluated using the Bayesian information criterion to compare goodness-of-fit of Gaussian, two-Gaussian mixture, and histogram models. The PDFs are strongly non-Gaussian when NHM-RPF produces diverse particles over the CI period. The non-Gaussian PDF of the updraft is followed by the upper-bounded PDF of the relative humidity, which produces non-Gaussian PDFs of QV and PT. The PDFs of the cloud water and QR are strongly non-Gaussian throughout the experimental period. We conclude that the non-Gaussianity of the CI originated from the non-Gaussianity of the updraft. In addition, we show that the adaptive observation error estimator significantly contributes to the stability of PF and the robustness to many observations.