WRF Output Variables Meaning

[giacomo.telloli@keytoener]

Hi,
i've an issue on finding the right meaning of these output variables from the WRF model:

RAINNC & SNOWNC are those the mm of fallen rain and snow on the grid area ?

I'm trying to calculate the total solar radiation on the ground is this similar to any variable produced by the model ?
Same question for the direct solar radiation and the diffuse solar radiation and the clear sky solar radiation.

Thank you so much

 

[William.Hatheway]

RAINNC:description = "ACCUMULATED TOTAL GRID SCALE PRECIPITATION" ; non-convective
RAINC:description = "ACCUMULATED TOTAL CUMULUS PRECIPITATION" ; convective
RAINSH:description = "ACCUMULATED SHALLOW CUMULUS PRECIPITATION" ; shallow convective

SNOWNC:description = "ACCUMULATED TOTAL GRID SCALE SNOW AND ICE" ; non-convective


SWDOWN:description = "DOWNWARD SHORT WAVE FLUX AT GROUND SURFACE" ; short wave radiation coming down

Not sure if that answers your question

 

[Ming Chen]

Please see my answers below:

Hi,
i've an issue on finding the right meaning of these output variables from the WRF model:

RAINNC & SNOWNC are those the mm of fallen rain and snow on the grid area ?

They are resolved-scale precipitation and snow over individual grid box. Note they are accumulated values, i.e., total from the beginning of the model integration.

I'm trying to calculate the total solar radiation on the ground is this similar to any variable produced by the model ?
Same question for the direct solar radiation and the diffuse solar radiation and the clear sky solar radiation.

There are a few variables included in the wrfout files, for example,

GSW (w/m2): NET SHORT WAVE FLUX AT GROUND SURFAC
GLW (w/m2): DOWNWARD LONG WAVE FLUX AT GROUND SURFAC

Please take a look at the document here for more information:

WRF Output Variables — WRF Users Guide documentation

Thank you so much

 

[William.Hatheway]

Please see my answers below:

They are resolved-scale precipitation and snow over individual grid box. Note they are accumulated values, i.e., total from the beginning of the model integration.

There are a few variables included in the wrfout files, for example,

GSW (w/m2): NET SHORT WAVE FLUX AT GROUND SURFAC
GLW (w/m2): DOWNWARD LONG WAVE FLUX AT GROUND SURFAC

Please take a look at the document here for more information:

WRF Output Variables — WRF Users Guide documentation

Is RAINSH apart of RAINNC values or are they different?

For example if I want total rain would it be RAINC + RAINNC + RAINSH?

 

[Ming Chen]

RAINSH is rain from shallow convection,
RAINNC is resolved scale rain

 

[William.Hatheway]

RAINSH is rain from shallow convection,
RAINNC is resolved scale rain

I guess I don't understand what these mean then, because I have been looking on the website and I never see RAINSH added to the RAINC and RAINNC values for total precipitation.

RAINNC:description = "ACCUMULATED TOTAL GRID SCALE PRECIPITATION" ; non-convective
RAINC:description = "ACCUMULATED TOTAL CUMULUS PRECIPITATION" ; convective
RAINSH:description = "ACCUMULATED SHALLOW CUMULUS PRECIPITATION" ; shallow convective

Could you explain them in layman terms?