Urban Measurements and Their Interpretation

Grimmond, Sue; Ward, Helen C.

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-52171-4_52

Cited by 7 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 200 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…appropriately sited for neighbourhood-scale conditions -i.e. within the inertial sub-layer, typically 2-5 times above the average building height and with relatively homogenous fetch (Grimmond, 2006;Barlow, 2014;Grimmond and Ward, 2021);…”

Section: Site Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As the urban roughness elements (e.g. buildings) are much taller than grass, instruments are mounted on towers at heights greater than 2-5 times average building height in order to be located within the inertial sub layer or constant flux layer (Velasco and Roth, 2010;Barlow, 2014;Grimmond and Ward, 2021).…”

Section: Era5 Reanalysis Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Areas analysed for land cover fractions and roughness parameters are based on either a static radius around the flux tower (value given) or a dynamic footprint model (fpm). For the latter, the spatial extents are the order of a few hundred metres but are dynamic varying for example with atmospheric stability and wind direction (Grimmond and Ward, 2021). Table 7.…”

Section: Site Characteristics Metadatamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Establishing and maintaining long-term flux sites in cities is particularly challenging because of the rarity of appropriate sites with homogenous fetch, the difficulty in gaining approval to access existing towers (e.g. for telecommunications), the cost of constructing tall towers over an aerodynamically rough surface and extremely limited long-term funding opportunities (Arnfield, 2003;Grimmond, 2006;Velasco and Roth, 2010;Feigenwinter et al, 2012;Grimmond and Ward, 2021). Thus, despite the diversity and importance of urban areas across the globe, urban flux tower data are relatively scarce, generally of short duration and rarely open source.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Harmonized gap-filled datasets from 20 urban flux tower sites

Lipson

Grimmond

Best

et al. 2022

Earth Syst. Sci. Data

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. A total of 20 urban neighbourhood-scale eddy covariance flux tower datasets are made openly available after being harmonized to create a 50 site–year collection with broad diversity in climate and urban surface characteristics. Variables needed as inputs for land surface models (incoming radiation, temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind and precipitation) are quality controlled, gap-filled and prepended with 10 years of reanalysis-derived local data, enabling an extended spin up to equilibrate models with local climate conditions. For both gap filling and spin up, ERA5 reanalysis meteorological data are bias corrected using tower-based observations, accounting for diurnal, seasonal and local urban effects not modelled in ERA5. The bias correction methods developed perform well compared to methods used in other datasets (e.g. WFDE5 or FLUXNET2015). Other variables (turbulent and upwelling radiation fluxes) are harmonized and quality controlled without gap filling. Site description metadata include local land cover fractions (buildings, roads, trees, grass etc.), building height and morphology, aerodynamic roughness estimates, population density and satellite imagery. This open collection can help extend our understanding of urban environmental processes through observational synthesis studies or in the evaluation of land surface environmental models in a wide range of urban settings. These data can be accessed from https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7104984 (Lipson et al., 2022).

show abstract

Section: Site Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Era5 Reanalysis Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Site Characteristics Metadatamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Harmonized gap-filled datasets from 20 urban flux tower sites

Lipson

Grimmond

Best

et al. 2022

Earth Syst. Sci. Data

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The verification of models in urban areas remains a challenge given the lack of routine observations located appropriately (Grimmond & Ward, 2021). Any WMO observation sites (WMO, 2018a) in urban areas are likely to be located within the urban canopy layer, rather than the inertial sublayer or constant flux layer (Tang et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Utility of thermal remote sensing for evaluation of a high‐resolution weather model in a city

Hall,

Blunn,

Grimmond

et al. 2024

Quart J Royal Meteoro Soc

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Progress in high‐resolution numerical weather prediction (NWP) for urban areas will require new modelling approaches and extensive evaluation. Here, we exploit land surface temperature (LST) data from Landsat‐8 to assess 100 m resolution NWP for London (UK) on four cloud‐free days. The LST observations are directional radiometric temperatures with non‐negligible uncertainties. We consider the challenges of informative comparison between the Landsat LST and the NWP scheme's internal characterisation of the complete surface temperature. The LST spatial coverage allows large‐scale observation–model differences to be explored. In one case, obvious spatial artifacts in the NWP surface temperature are observed relative to the Landsat LST. These are found to be related to the NWP's initial method of downscaling of soil moisture using soil properties. Updated model runs have higher spatial correlation between model and Landsat LST. In cases where meteorological conditions favour the formation of horizontal convective rolls, warmer air temperatures associated with updraughts in the mixed layer extend inappropriately to the urban surface. This manifests as warm stripes in the model surface temperature that are not present in the Landsat LST. NWP–Landsat LST differences are larger in more built‐up areas on days nearer summer solstice. This is largely attributed to urban thermal anisotropy, as Landsat preferentially views warmer urban surfaces, whereas the model LST represents all surfaces. We evaluate two approaches to quantify this sampling effect, but further work is needed to fully constrain it and facilitate more informative model evaluation.

show abstract

Guidance on Integrated Urban Hydro-meteorological, Climate and Environmental Services: Challenges and the Way Forward

Joe

Baklanov

Grimmond

et al. 2021

Urban Climate Science for Planning Healthy Cities

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This chapter describes a new World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) approach to the provision of science-based services to assist the planning of safe, healthy, resilient and climate-friendly cities. The approach is outlined in full in the WMO Guidance on Integrated Urban Hydrometeorological, Climate and Environmental Services (Volume I) publication (WMO 2019), which has been approved for promotion and communication to WMO Members. Highlighted here are the underlying concepts and methods that underpin the services to help manage cities on a day-to-day basis, responding to short-term hazards but also to prepare for climate change are described. Heterogeneous dense observation networks, highresolution forecasts, multi-hazard early warning systems, long-term climate prediction and service applications all working in combination, are at the heart of such services, the implementation of which will support mitigation and adaptation strategies for achieving thriving climate resilient cities and promotion of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (WMO, 2021). To meet the needs of urban areas, the concept of Integrated Urban Hydrometeorological, Climate and Environmental Services (IUS) is bedded in a multidisciplinary approach that identifies the requisite partnerships, including research agencies, city governments, international organizations, and private sector stakeholders, to establish and sustain urban services. As this is an emerging and diverse service, the requirements are broad with considerable research, development, capacity building and cross-service integrations yet to be done. In addition to providing an overview of the concept, we set out the challenges and recommended path forward to develop and implement IUS. Keywords Integrated urban services; Multi-hazard early warning systems; Weather; Climate; Environment; Air Quality; Hydrology; World Meteorological Organization; Challenges and the way forward; Research and development; Seamless earth system prediction; Scales Key Messages • WMO's participation in the UN New Urban Agenda includes developing both the concept and guidance for the provision of multi-hazard early warning to long term urban planning services for cities. • Integration of weather, hydrology, environment and climate urban services (IUS) will lead to accurate, efficient and consistent services. • National Hydrometeorological Services are positioned to lead the promotion and development of Integrated Urban Services (IUS). • Understanding capabilities, capacities and roles and responsibilities amongst different levels of government, universities, agencies and decision-makers is the first challenge followed closely by data access and the co-design of the IUS. • Research and science will play a significant role to develop multi-disciplinary scientists to bridge the scientific gaps and to demonstrate the effectiveness of IUS.

show abstract

Urban Measurements and Their Interpretation

Cited by 7 publications

References 200 publications

Harmonized gap-filled datasets from 20 urban flux tower sites

Harmonized gap-filled datasets from 20 urban flux tower sites

Utility of thermal remote sensing for evaluation of a high‐resolution weather model in a city

Guidance on Integrated Urban Hydro-meteorological, Climate and Environmental Services: Challenges and the Way Forward

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About