Comparison of NCEP-NCAR Reanalysis with 1987 FIFE Data

Abstract Data from the FIFE experiment of the summer of 1987 are used to assess the diurnal and seasonal cycles of the surface energy budget and boundary layer in the NCEP-NCAR reanalysis, which used the summer 1995 version of the Medium-Range Forecast model. The seasonal agreement is quite good, reflecting the improvements in land-surface parameterizations in recent years. Detailed studies, however, identify several places where still further improvements in model parameterizations are possible. Clear-sky shortwave absorption and cloudiness may be underestimated in this model as has been noticed in other global models. More frequent updates of the model cloud cover (currently every 3 h) would improve the land-surface interaction after the initial onset of precipitation. The model produces a realistic well-mixed boundary layer, but underestimates boundary layer deepening by entrainment. For much of the summer, precipitation is close to that observed: however, for a period in June and early July, the reana...

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