Physically consistent mesoscale model evaluation in complex terrain

Physically consistent mesoscale model evaluation in complex terrain | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Physically consistent mesoscale model evaluation in complex terrain Gaspard Simonet, Manuela Lehner, Mathias Rotach This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6050730/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study introduces a novel evaluation technique for mesoscale atmospheric models in complex terrain, addressing challenges related to grid point (GP) selection, model resolution, and differences in the terrain and measurement heights between model and observation sites. The technique includes a pre-evaluation step designed to enhance model evaluation accuracy by correcting for systematic biases arising from discrepancies in sensor height between surface-layer diagnosed variables and actual measurement heights. Additionally, a lapse rate correction is proposed that takes into account the temporal evolution of the valley atmosphere. We use a GP for the evaluation with point measurements that represents the topographic characteristics at the measurement site better than the nearest GP. The analysis of a case study using a WRF simulation with different grid spacing is conducted for a synoptically undisturbed valley wind day over the Inn Valley, to study the effect of grid resolution during an entire diurnal cycle. The proposed method shows significant potential in reducing uncertainties in model performance assessments by selecting GPs that better represent in-situ conditions, including accurate land cover and orography characteristics. This approach is expected to facilitate more reliable inter-model comparisons and enhance the overall robustness of atmospheric model evaluations in complex terrains. Meteorology Climate Analysis and Modeling WRF mountainous terrain grid point selection lapse rate correction sensor height correction i-Box Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6050730","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":417108627,"identity":"79c263a0-1012-4798-93b6-897f7dd7c6dd","order_by":0,"name":"Gaspard Simonet","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABDUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYPACZjACATmStRgY80BYBkRogQCDxB5CWuTdjz978HOPNYN8O3fi44KKP+n7JfIPfgYy5BnYDx/dgEWL4Zkcc8OeZ+kMBod5NxvPOGOQ2yORzCwNZBg28KSl3cCmpSGHTYLnwGEGA2bebdK8bWAtDCAGY4MEjxlWLf3Pn0n+AWqRbwZp+WeQzgO05TdQiz0uLfISCWbSIFsYDoO0NBgkALWwgWxJxKXFQOKNubHMgXQesF94jhkb9px5bGbNc8Y4uQ2HX+T70589fHPAWk6+/+zGxzw1cvLs7YmPb/NUyNn2sx8+htWWAwxsIJoHU4oNi3KwLQ04pUbBKBgFo2AUQAEAomxaPrxT3o0AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8157-9250","institution":"UIBK","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Gaspard","middleName":"","lastName":"Simonet","suffix":""},{"id":417108864,"identity":"c7157ac8-43a4-4ae6-885f-76f92c14b2e2","order_by":1,"name":"Manuela Lehner","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"UIBK","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Manuela","middleName":"","lastName":"Lehner","suffix":""},{"id":417108865,"identity":"d3111a38-82fa-4071-9bab-e770b61672af","order_by":2,"name":"Mathias Rotach","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"UIBK","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mathias","middleName":"","lastName":"Rotach","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-02-17 20:17:31","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":false,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false,"humanSubjectConsent":false,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6050730/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6050730/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":76725828,"identity":"8413a1ac-3cec-4db5-8f46-5a59557ebb71","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-02-20 05:28:00","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":3145724,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"EvaluationtechniquesincomplexterrainQJRMS20250217.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6050730/v1_covered_8f4d6bc9-376d-4137-a6fa-73e0e54e1623.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003ePhysically consistent mesoscale model evaluation in complex terrain\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"Department of Atmospheric and Cryospheric Sciences (ACINN)","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"WRF, mountainous terrain, grid point selection, lapse rate correction, sensor height correction, i-Box","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6050730/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6050730/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study introduces a novel evaluation technique for mesoscale atmospheric models in complex terrain, addressing challenges related to grid point (GP) selection, model resolution, and differences in the terrain and measurement heights between model and observation sites. 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