Impact of a scale-aware convective parameterization scheme on the
simulation of convective cells related heavy rainfall in South Korea
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of the scale-aware convective
parameterization scheme (CPS) on convective cells related to simulation
of heavy precipitation across the gray-zone using the Weather Research
and Forecasting (WRF) model. We select the Kain-Fritsch (KF) and
Multi-scale Kain-Fritsch (MSKF) schemes as non-scale-aware and
scale-aware CPSs, respectively. The MSKF scheme uses a scale-aware
parameter that modulates the convective available potential energy
(CAPE) timescale and entrainment process in the KF scheme as a function
of the horizontal grid spacing. This study shows that simulation of
convection only with grid-scale process microphysics parameterization
scheme (MPS) (i.e., explicitly resolved) causes an unreasonably
overestimated and erroneous location of precipitation in the gray-zone
because convection and atmospheric instability could not properly be
triggered and reduced. Contrarily, the CPS without scale-awareness in
the gray-zone exaggerates the convection and distorts synoptic
fieldsleading to the erroneous simulation of heavy precipitation at high
resolution. Contrastingly, the MSKF scheme with scale-awareness improves
simulated convective cells related to heavy rainfall by removing
atmospheric instability in the gray-zone, smoothly reducing the role of
CPS and increasing the role of MPS as grid spacing is decreased.
Additionally, the sensitivity experiments show that the shorter CAPE
timescale and decreased entrainment process resulted in fast development
and exaggeration of convective activities, respectively. These
parameters modulated by the scale-aware MSKF scheme can play a crucial
role in the balanced effect between the CPS and MPS in the gray-zone by
controlling the entrainment rate and CAPE timescale.