SCMREX* 2013 RDP

* Southern China Monsoon Rainfall Experiment

Research studies have confirmed that the heavy rainfall in southern China is closely related to meso-scale convective complex after the onset of the South China Sea monsoon. However, there is still a lack of in-depth studies on the detailed processes covering a range of scales, i.e., from convective cloud cells to convective cloud clusters to meso-scale convective weather systems and finally to regional rainstorms. The prediction skills remain on the stage of foreseeing “heavy rain event” but unable to accurately forecast where and when the heavy rains will be occurring. The skill of weather forecasts for the heavy rainfalls in southern China in May and June is quite low and is worse than the forecast for heavy rainfall in other regions of the mainland China such as the Yangtze-Huai River Valleys. The skill of meso-cale models is also not better in comparison with global models using conventional verification parameters. Rainfall verification is also a challenge.

Field Campaign Phase (1 May to 15 June 2013)

CAS-MG7/Doc.6.5, SCMREX2013

SCMREX 2013

SCMREX 2013 aims to:

(1) advance our understanding of processes that are most relevant to formation of heavy rains over southern China during the South China Sea monsoon onset, and (2) to improve model parameterizations for better NWP of the southern China heavy rains. More specifically, comprehensive analyses and studies will be conducted using the data to be obtained in the field campaign along with the historical data, to:

(a) reveal the thermodynamic and dynamic structures as well as microphysical features of the convective clouds and their evolutions, (b) better understand the interactions between the convective clouds and the MCSs as well as their relation to surface rainfall, and (c) better understand the mechanisms governing the interactions among the multi-scale weather systems and their effects on heavy rainfall over southern China during the South China Sea monsoon onset.

Based on outputs from such studies, we will evaluate and improve current physical schemes and even develop new schemes, the cloud microphysical and PBL schemes in particular, that are more suitable for the cloud-resolving modeling of heavy rainfall in southern China. The refined physical schemes in models, in combination with development of advanced data assimilation technique, will help toward the final goal of improving the skill of NWP for the heavy rainfall in southern China.

SCMREX* 2013

Science Advisory Committee

Professor Richard JOHNSON, Colorado State University, U.S.A. (co-Chair)Dr JIAO Meiyan, China Meteorological Administration (co-Chair)Professor Chih-Pei CHANG, Naval Postgraduate School, U.S.A.

Professor Robert FOVELL, University of California at Los Angeles, U.S.A.Professor Dong-In LEE, Pukyong National University, SOUTH KOREA

Professor Zhiyong MENG, Peking University, CHINA Dr Nathaniel SERVANDO, Administrator, PAGASA, PHILIPPINES

Professor Hiroshi UYEDA, Nagoya University, JAPANDr. YAP Kok Seng, Director General, Malaysian Meteorological Department, MALAYSIA

Prof ZHANG Renhe (Project Director/Principal Investigator)

Prof WANG Donghai, CMA, CHINA (co-Chief Scientist)Prof LUO Yali, CMA, CHINA (co-Chief Scientist)