Precipitation and cloud microphysics evaluation for a landfalling winter storm using a mesoscale model

A winter storm in the US west coast is simulated using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Heavy precipitation and orographic enhancement of precipitation associated with this storm has resulted quite high hydrological impacts in California and Nevada as a prefrontal low-level jet bringing plenty of moisture onshore. In this study, the structure and organization of the precipitation system will be evaluated against observations from ground radars, TRMM satellite, as well as rain gauges. Sensitivities of precipitation microphysical processes and their hydrometeorological influences to different microphysical schemes may also be discussed.