Modeling the river‐basin response to single‐storm events simulated by a mesoscale meteorological model at various resolutions

Abstract

Abstract. The link between the Penn State/NCAR Mesoscale Meteorological Model (MM5) and the Hydrologic Model System (HMS) was implemented to simulate the river-basin response to single-storm events. Three MM5-domain setups, a single domain (36 km grid increment), one nest (36+12 km grid increments), and two nests (36+12+4 km grid increments) were used to simulate two single-storm events from April 1986 and May 1988 over the Susquehanna River basin (SRB). The MM5-simulated precipitation at various resolutions and the analyzed observed precipitation were used to drive the hydrologic simulation of direct surface runoff for the SRB and two subbasins (the upper west branch and the upper north branch) and of streamflow for the upper west branch. The streamflow simulation driven with the observed precipitation was first calibrated to the observed streamflow. The simulated streamflow with the observed precipitation and the MM5-simulated precipitation at various resolutions were compared to the observed streamflow. The discrepancies in modeling the streamflow response and the direct surface runoff with the MM5-simulated precipitation at various resolutions were evaluated. The simulated results improved as the resolution of the MM5-simulated precipitation increased. The MM5 simulations for all three domain setups captured the general pattern of the storm systems. On the basis of the quality of the simulated results and the required computing time, the MM5 setup with two nests appears to be the most appropriate to provide the simulated precipitation for the hydrologic simulation of single-storm events over the SRB.

On continental-scale hydrologic simulations with a coupled hydrologic model

“…Possible extensions of the method are (i) the inclusion of elevation as an additional category-dimension as described above (Leung and Ghan, 1995;Ghan et al, 2002), and (ii) the prescription or prediction of a different vegetation type for each category. In addition, random variations can be applied to the GCM/RCM precipitation at each timestep to mimic the stochastic properties of point precipitation (Thomas and Henderson-Sellers, 1992;Eltahir and Bras, 1993;Koren et al, 1999;Yu et al, 1999b).…”

Performance of a coupled atmosphere-streamflow prediction system at the Pyungchang River IHP basin

“…A coupled atmosphere-streamflow modeling system, in which surface hydrology models are coupled to a limited-area atmospheric model (Leavesley et al, 1992;Kim and Miller, 1996;Yu et al, 1999;Pereira Fo et al, 1999;Benoit et al, 2000), have become an important tool for predicting precipitation and streamflow Miller and Kim, 1996;Kim et al, 2000), and for assessing impacts of climate variations on regional hydrologic cycle and water resources (Leavesley et al, 1992;Kim et al, 1998a;Kim, 2001). In this approach, a limited area model is employed to obtain basin-scale atmospheric forcing from coarse resolution largescale data, and the basin-scale forcing data drives surface hydrology models calibrated for the river basin.…”

Weather and seasonal climate prediction for flood planning in the Yangtze River Basin

“…The MM5 is a grid point, threedimensional, limited area meteorological model with parameterization schemes for different physical processes such as cumulus convective parameterization schemes, explicit precipitation schemes, and planetary boundary layer schemes. MM5 has been used for many applications, including the simulation and prediction of heavy rainfall (e.g., Chen et al 1998;Davis et al 1993;Ferretti et al 2000;Yu et al 1999aYu et al , 2000.…”

“…For example, the meteorological community has developed effective early detection systems to manage the risk associated with heavy rainfall and damaging floods (Pielke and Downton 2000; Yu et al 1999aYu et al , b, 2000. Improved forecasting of heavy rainfall events facilitates flood planning and management: communities can undertake more extensive and proactive flood emergency measures (including the evacuation of citizens in the flood plain area, the reinforcement of levees, the dredging of river beds, and the channeling of flood water).…”