A study of a heavy precipitation event associated with a landfalling winter storm using WRF model and satellite observations

On December 30 to 31, 2005, a landfalling winter cyclone in the eastern Pacific moved onshore to the US west coast. A strong prefrontal low-level jet conveyed plenty of moisture and produced intense precipitation in the California-Nevada mountain and valley regions. Further enhanced by orographic lifting, the precipitation associated with this storm resulted in large hydrological impacts. In this study, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used to examine the storm and its precipitation structure and processes. This event was also sampled by two NASA satellites, TRMM and Aqua. Observations from the TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) and Microwave Image (TMI), and the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer – Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) will be used to evaluate model simulations. The Goddard Satellite Data Simulation Unit (SDSU) will be used to conduct the brightness temperature simulations at TMI and AMSR-E frequencies. Sensitivities of different microphysical schemes on precipitation structures and their influences on brightness temperature simulation may also be discussed.