Results from Mesoscale Modeling and Measurements of Temperature, Moisture, and Wind on a Mountain Slope

This paper presents the results of a two-year study, based on Mesoscale Model Version 5 (MM5) forecasts and real-time four-dimensional data assimulation (RT-FDDA) analyses together with field measurements from automated surface weather stations, to investigate the mesoscale structure of wind and temperature fields for a variety of land-surface conditions and seasonal variations. The area of study is centered on the Cedar Mountains and the eastern Great Salt Lake Desert. Surface measurements include permanent mesonet weather stations located at mountain ridge tops and valley locations, and an array of seven portable automated weather stations deployed along the southwestern slope of the Cedar Mountains on a line extending from the mouth of a canyon to the mountain desert basin. Comparisons are made with MM5 forecasts and RT-FDDA (observation nudging) analyses. Analyses were carried out for different soil moisture conditions, snow cover, and mountain-basin fog events. Results from these cases illustrate the dependence of slope winds and nocturnal temperature inversions on land-surface conditions.