Optimized use of real-time vertical-profile wind data and fast modelling for prediction of airflow over complex terrain

Abstract

A novel system for real-time prediction of wind speed and direction in a critical region of complex terrain is developed by combining measurements and analytically based fast computation of the flow field. The new system is applied to the aircraft approach flight paths of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), where orographically generated turbulence downwind of a mountain ridge in high-wind conditions causes disruptions to aircraft movements regularly. By using wind profiler and radiosonde measurements to drive the analytically based 'FLOWSTAR' model, good agreement is demonstrated between modelled and observed wind flow data from a network of ground-based monitors and LIDAR scans in the vicinity of the airport for a historical wind event. The methodology forms the basis of a system that can be used to forecast extreme wind events.