A Mass Flux Convection Scheme with Representation of Cloud Ensemble Characteristics and Stability-Dependent Closure

Abstract The convection scheme used at the UK Meteorological Office in large-scale numerical models is described. The scheme uses a “bulk” cloud model to represent an ensemble of convective clouds and aims to represent shallow, deep and midlevel convection. A simple closure is employed, the initial convective mass flux being related to the stability of the initial convecting layer. The ability of the scheme to represent convective processes in a variety of situations is evaluated using GATE, BOMEX, and ATEX data. In each case realistic heating rates are simulated and although the closure of the scheme does not demand a balance between convective and large-scale forcings as in many other types of convection scheme (for example the Arakawa–Schubert scheme), a quasi-equilibrium is established while retaining realistic atmospheric structure. The performance of the scheme in an 11-layer atmospheric general circulation model used in climate research at the UK Meteorological Office is also evaluated by comparing...