- 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are

13
geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are n in CDAS over most of the planet except the North continent, particularly from 30 o N to the South Pole geopotential heights are consistently lower for GDA to CDAS since at least January 2005 over the opics. observations over the near-equatorial Tropics in th s. over the Atlantic hurricane development region. precipitation forecasts for Day 5 & beyond under- substantially the precipitation amounts over the US ricanes Katrina and Rita (and their remnants) from Louisiana and East Texas northeastward to nd. ip. >> than obs. over the Atlantic & eastern TCZs while << over much of the far western tropical orth of the equator at all forecast projections (1- cularly for the Day-5, -10 and -15 forecasts. velocity and upper-level divergence fields are t with the precipitation differences over the Pacif torial regions in the GDAS/GFS. September 2005 Summary of CDAS/GDAS/GFS

description

September 2005 Summary of CDAS/GDAS/GFS. - 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are lower than in CDAS over most of the planet except the North American continent, particularly from 30 o N to the South Pole. 200 hPa geopotential heights are consistently lower for GDAS - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transcript of - 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are

Page 1: - 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are

- 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis arelower than in CDAS over most of the planet except the NorthAmerican continent, particularly from 30oN to the South Pole.

-200 hPa geopotential heights are consistently lower for GDAS compared to CDAS since at least January 2005 over the global Tropics.

CDAS < observations over the near-equatorial Tropics in the NH & > obs. over the Atlantic hurricane development region.

- The GFS precipitation forecasts for Day 5 & beyond under-forecast substantially the precipitation amounts over the US where Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (and their remnants) traversed from Louisiana and East Texas northeastward to New England.

-GFS precip. >> than obs. over the Atlantic & eastern Pacific ITCZs while << over much of the far western tropical Pacific north of the equator at all forecast projections (1-15 days), but particularly for the Day-5, -10 and -15 forecasts.

-Vertical velocity and upper-level divergence fields are consistent with the precipitation differences over the Pacificnear-equatorial regions in the GDAS/GFS.

September 2005 Summary of CDAS/GDAS/GFS

Page 2: - 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are

200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis arelower than in CDAS over most of the planet (particularly from 30oN to the South Pole. Very small differences are noted overthe North American continent and Europe eastward to central Asia. The magnitude of the differences over the Tropics is equivalent to about 1 standard deviation of the CDAS monthlymeans over the 1971-2000 base period. This is the same basicpattern since March 2005.

Page 3: - 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are

Time series of 200 hPa heights for GDAS and CDAS over the Tropics indicate that heights are consistentlylower for GDAS compared to CDAS since at leastJanuary 2005, and that this difference occurs overland as well as ocean, although the difference is largest over the oceans.

Page 4: - 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are

The precipitation anomalies between CDAS and the satellite estimates agree well over the Indian subcontinent (positive anomalies) and the adjacent oceanic region, although the negative anomalies over the equatorial Indian Ocean are much stronger in the satellite observations than in CDAS. In contrast, CDAS indicates strong negative anomalies over northern Brazil that are not apparent in the observations (rain gauge).

Page 5: - 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are

GFS precip. is muchless than the satellite estimates over the much of the extreme western tropical Pacific north of the equator (especially at the 10 & 15-day fcst projections) – similar to theJune-August 2005

Precip. is much too strong in the Atlantic and easternPacific ITCZs at all fore-cast projections

Page 6: - 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are

GFS precipitation forecasts averaged over September 2005 are much drier in a swath from Louisiana to New England for theDay-5 forecasts and beyond. This swath covers the areaover which Hurricanes Katrina and Rita traversed, and the modelunderestimated the precipitation amounts substantially over that region.

Page 7: - 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are

The CDAS OLR is cooler over the extratropical portion of the NH continents compared to observed OLR and warmer over muchof the tropics north of the equator. GDAS OLR is substantially closer to the observed OLR compared to CDAS, and thedifferences with observed OLR are positive almost everywhere.

Page 8: - 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are

The evolution of near-equatorial OLR anomalies during Feb 2005through August 2005 in CDAS shows negative anomalies for theentire period near the date line. That contrasts with the observed OLR which indicates negative anomalies there duringFeb 2005, mid-March-May 2005, and July-present. The relatively dry period during Feb-Mar 2005 on either side of the date line agrees well with the observed OLR as do the weak negative anomalies near the date line during July 2005. Note that GDAS anomalies are not plotted because a reliable climatology is not available from GDAS due to the many model changes that have occurred during the GDAS record.

Page 9: - 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are

The GDAS upward motion at 500 hPa is considerably strongerthan CDAS over the ITCZs in the Atlantic and Pacific which is consistent with the higher rainfall in the GFS over those areas compared to CDAS (see precip. figs – buttons below). This is also consistent with differences in the upper-level divergence (button below).

CDAS precip

GFS precip

Divergence

Page 10: - 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are

GDAS vertical velocity (500 hPa) is consistently higher than CDAS over tropical land regions, in good agreement over thetropical oceans, although consistently lower there since April2005. Both are in good agreement over the NH oceanic storm tracks.

Page 11: - 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are
Page 12: - 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are
Page 13: - 200 hPa geopotential heights in the GDAS analysis are

Global Mean precip from GFS is about 25% higher than GPCP.