Comparison of Eta and AVN initialized MM5 runs

Runs made for 28-30 August, 2001, commencing at 18Z (11 AM PDT). Resolutions of Domains 1, 2 and 3 are 54, 18 and 6 km, respectively. TGC = ground/sea surface temperature; RH = relative humidity. Sea surface temperature is fixed for both simulations.

Initialization at 18Z on 28 August (TGC, near-surface winds for Domain 2 shown)

12 h forecast in Domain 3 (TGC, near-surface winds)

Note unrealistically warm surface temperatures just offshore in Eta initialized simulation.

18 h forecast in Domain 3 (TGC, near-surface winds)

The unrealistically warm near-shore SSTs in the Eta run seems to slow cooling of the LA basin.

18 h forecast in Domain 3 (10 m RH, 750 m winds)

Yet the Eta run is more moist everywhere, and continues to develop stronger winds as time progresses.

30 h forecast in Domain 3 (both plot types shown)

Initial 10 m RH and 750 m winds for Domain 1

The Eta run had more low-level moisture to start with.

Next page: rerun of Eta-initialized run with AVN's SST,

Page created August, 2001, by Robert Fovell