A comparison over the FIFE region of simulations from RSM, RegCM2, and MM5/BATS

The FIFE region of north-central Kansas is one of the few locations world-wide for which detailed observations exist in time-series form of the fluxes of heat and moisture between the surface and the atmosphere. Thus regional model simulations centered on this location provide an excellent means by which to validate how well a given model is able to simulate these fluxes. Furthermore, comparative analyses can be made among different regional models, allowing for an evaluation of how well different model formulations may perform, as well as determination of systematic strengths and weaknesses these types of models may have in common. In particular, this can help evaluate the ability of the models to make climate predictions, since proper representation of the surface fluxes is crucial to simulations on monthly to interannual climatic time scales. Three models are used to simulate the regional climate of the FIFE region, RSM, RegCM2 and MM5/BATS. RSM is the NCEP regional spectral model. RegCM2 is an adaptation of the PSU/NCAR MM4 mesoscale model to make it suitable for climate studies, and has been used extensively over many domains world-wide for the past decade. MM5/BATS is a new climate adaptation of the next generation MM5 mesoscale model. Comparisons are being made of runs with all three models over the FIFE region for the period January 1987 through October 1988 (the time period for which the most extensive FIFE datasets exist).