Sensitivity of the Florida Sea Breeze Convection to WRF Physical and Planetary Boundary Layer Parameterization Schemes

The role of the sea breeze in initiating Florida peninsular convective events is studied by high-resolution numerical simulations using an advanced research version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model. Simulation results were compared with an observed mesoscale sea breeze and related meteorological conditions. A sea breeze case on 6-7 September 2012 was studied using observations covering central and southern Florida. The sensitivity of numerical simulations of the sea breeze event to various WRF model physical parameterizations, such as planetary boundary layer (PBL), microphysics, cumulus, and radiation was examined. A four-level-nested domain configuration with horizontal grid spacings of 27, 9, 3, and 1 km was used for the simulations.

The results show that all of the simulations were able to reproduce the life cycle of the sea-breeze circulation and the convective system accompanied with it. The numerical simulations are very sensitive to the microphysics and PBL schemes as they lead improvements in simulated precipitation intensity, the spatial location of the sea breeze front, and the duration of the precipitation and sea breeze events. Detailed numerical results will be further diagnosed in order to improve our understanding of the physical mechanisms that control interactions between the sea breeze and the mesoscale convective system. The boundary layer structure and evolution during the life cycle of sea breeze and convective system will be characterized. Details will be presented in the symposium.