Latest developments of the very high resolution Canadian Global Environmental Multiscale (GEM) model limited area version (GEM-LAM) over mountainous terrain

The Pacific and Yukon Region and the Canadian Meteorological Centre (CMC) are collaborating with the Meteorological Research Branch to evaluate the performance of a 2.5 km resolution limited area model centred over southern British-Columbia. This project is testing the viability of the limited area model approach as a replacement for the existing global variable-resolution strategy used for the experimental High Resolution Model Application Project (HiMAP) runs at CMC. Additionally the output of the model is used to drive an experimental automated forecast production system (SCRIBE).

The GEM model is used in its limited area configuration and covers a very small domain over south-central BC including the west coast. The physical parameterizations are also adapted to this resolution, where the convection scheme is deactivated and a more complete cloud microphyics scheme is used. Several runs have been conducted for several past high impact weather events. Considerations of induced topographical effects will be examined during the presentation along with current developments and future applications.