The high-resolution numerical weather prediction system for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics

The 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games took place in British Columbia, Canada during February and March, 2010. In order to provide the best possible weather prediction guidance using state-of-the-art science and technology, Environment Canada ran an experimental numerical prediction system for these special events. The system included high-resolution (2.5-km and 1-km) limited-area model (LAM) forecast grids with the Global Environmental Multiscale (GEM) numerical weather prediction model for domains over the Vancouver-Whistler region, which were run operationally twice daily by the Canadian Meteorological Centre (CMC). This special model configuration used improved geophysical fields, new radiation and cloud microphysics schemes, and the latest dynamical core version of the GEM model.

An overview of the experimental GEM-LAM forecast system will be presented. Comparisons will be made between the forecast fields from the 2.5-km and 1-km grids as well from the standard 15-km regional GEM model. It will be shown that with the use of increased model resolution and sophisticated physical parameterizations, there is a distinct increased forecast value for this region of complex terrain.