Comparing WRF PBL schemes with experimental data over Northern Italy

Abstract

A sensitivity test has been carried out for five PBL schemes using the WRF meteorological model over Italy for February 2008. The model has been applied over the polluted area of the Po Valley with a grid resolution of 5 km. Model results have been compared to surface measurements as well as vertical profiles by balloon soundings, meteorological balloons and Lidar measurements. Results show a good agreement between simulations and observations for mixing ratio, while model reveals higher bias in reconstructing temperature, wind speed and planetary boundary layer height. The best performances in reconstructing PBL height are highlighted for YSU scheme, while other ground meteorological fields are better reproduced by ACM2 parameterization.