WRF-ARW Simulation: Urban Area Scale Forecast for the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area

Abstract

WRF Modelling System (ver. 2.2) was running for several days during summer and winter seasons within four nested domains with horizontal resolution of 36, 12, 4 and 1.33 km, respectively. Short-term 24 h simulations, as the input meteorological data for operative air quality forecast, were realized using the NCEP global model forecast data. Simulations were fulfilled for different PBL schemes. The calculated standard meteorological parameters, such as wind speed and direction, temperature and relative humidity, were compared with the ground-level observation data from automatic meteorological stations within the urban area and outside the city. The main object of the study was the urban heat island (UHI) effect and, as its consequence, modification of the wind field and surface layer turbulent structure within and over the urban canopy. The intensity of the UHI effect as function of urban surface characteristics, anthropogenic heat release and season meteorological conditions was evaluated.