(Invited Speaker) Establishment of meso-met modeling case studies to evaluate the relative roles of urban dynamics and aerosols on summer thunderstorms: a proposal

Urban areas impact summer thunderstorms through a variety of direct and indirect dynamic, thermodynamic, and cloud microphysical processes, which result in either the initiation of new storms or the splitting of existing moving storms. As these processes can either increase or decrease the amount of precipitation over and around urban areas, as well as impact its timing, location, and intensity, no clear understanding has emerged on a grand synthesis. It is thus proposed to establish of one or more modeling case studies to evaluate the relative roles of urban dynamics and aerosols on summer thunderstorms.

The presentation first reviews the literature on the relative roles of urban dynamics and aerosols on summer thunderstorms, and then proposes a process whereby interesting case studies could be selected for simulation by any or all interested meso-met modelers. The process would include establishment of: (a) a coordinating committee to oversee the exercise, (b) criteria for the submission of interesting case studies (i.e., documentation of a clearly urban-impacted case; and description of available surface and PBL data sets), (c) a list of model-meta- and input-parameters to be supplied to the coordinating committee, (d) a list of output-fields and graphics to be submitted, (e) procedures to present the combined results from the exercise as reports, conference, papers, and journal papers.