Correction of excessive precipitation over steep and high mountains in a GCM: A simple method of parameterizing the thermal effects of subgrid topographic variation

Abstract

The excessive precipitation over steep and high mountains (EPSM) in GCMs and mesoscale models is due to a lack of parameterization of the thermal effects of subgrid-scale topographic variation. These thermal effects drive subgrid-scale heated-slope-induced vertical circulations (SHVC). SHVC provide a ventilation effect of removing heat from the boundary layer of resolvable-scale mountain slopes and depositing it higher up. The lack of SHVC parameterization is the cause of EPSM. The author has previously proposed a method of parameterizing SHVC, here termed SHVC.1. Although this has been successful in avoiding EPSM, the drawback is that it suppresses convective-type precipitation in the regions where it is applied. In this article, the author proposes a new method of parameterizing SHVC, here termed SHVC.2. In SHVC.2, the potential temperature and mixing ratio of the boundary layer are changed when used as input to the cumulus parameterization scheme over mountainous regions. This allows the cumulus parameterization to assume the additional function of SHVC parameterization. SHVC.2 has been tested in NASA Goddard's GEOS-5 GCM. It achieves the primary goal of avoiding EPSM while also avoiding the suppression of convective-type precipitation in the regions where it is applied.