Asian summer monsoon simulated by a global cloud-system-resolving model: Diurnal to intra-seasonal variability

Abstract

Interaction of convection and circulation is key to the Asian summer monsoon, but difficult to represent in global models. Here we report results from simulations for the summer of 2004 by a global cloud-system-resolving model, NICAM. At both 14- and 7-km horizontal resolution, NICAM simulates the observed monsoon circulation patterns, and the northward propagation of precipitation. The 7-km run simulates summer-mean precipitation maxima in narrow bands along the western Ghats, Himalayan foothills, the Arakan Yoma highlands, and the Annamite range. Precipitation 1) is modulated by orography, 2) is affected by synoptic-scale systems, and 3) displays a pronounced diurnal cycle, especially over Indo-China, with its strong/weak signal propagating westward/eastward in the wet/dry phase of the intraseasonal oscillation. This set of simulations captures these intraseasonal changes of the Indian monsoon with high fidelity from June to early July. NICAM exhibits a positive bias in precipitation over the Indian Ocean, common to atmospheric models with prescribed sea surface temperature. This calls for the inclusion of ocean-atmosphere coupling process to improve monsoon simulation skills. Copyright 2009 by the American Geophysical Union.