A1 closely links with the work and deliverables of the GWF Core Modelling Team. This Core Modelling team works in collaboration with the US National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), to support the development of high resolution (<=4KM) continental scale atmospheric modelling of historical climate and future warming, using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model (CONUS II simulations). This product will provide a high-resolution atmospheric forcing data set in support of IMPC scenario-based modelling in Theme C.

This project will develop the coupled WRF-MESH modelling system to enable the assessment of land-atmosphere feedbacks. In collaboration with IMPC Working Packages C1 and C2, A1 will conduct scenario runs for the assessment of land–atmosphere feedbacks for select areas of the Saskatchewan River Basin (e.g. Bow River Basin and Qu’Appelle River Basin). A major research question is how planned future irrigation expansion may change precipitation regimes.

Area of focus:

  • Saskatchewan River Basin
  • Mackenzie River Basin
  • Great Lakes St. Lawrence
  • Yukon River
  • Columbia
  • Frazer
  • Saint John Basin

 

Year 1: Complete the pan-Canadian high resolution (4-km) atmospheric modelling of historical climate and future warming, the CONUS II simulation; post-process the WRF output; sensitivity test of land–atmosphere feedbacks use the existing coupled atmosphere - land surface model.

Year 2: Collaborate with the core modeling group and the ECCC MESH group to conduct inter-model comparisons with the ECCC MESH/CLASS modelling system for cold region land surface schemes.

Year 3: Conduct scenario runs for the assessment of land–atmosphere feedbacks using WRF-MESH/CLASS coupled modeling system to provide additional context of model and scenario uncertainty.

Progress so far:

(i)   Bias-correction of WRF-CCRN output using GEM-CaPA;
(ii)  post-processing of WRF-CONUS I output; testing of WRF-CONUS II simulation set-up;
(iii) continental scale simulations of historical and future climate from 4-km WRF and multi-model RCMs that cover Nelson-Churchill, Mackenzie, and Great Lakes St. Lawrence, Yukon River, Columbia, Frazer, and Saint John Basins are expected in Y3.

Lead:

Yanping Li

 

Yanping Li

Assistant Professor
University of Saskatchewan | School of Environment & Sustainability

Co-Lead:

pomeroy_john.jpg

 

John Pomeroy

Professor
University of Saskatchewan | College of Arts & Sciences | Department of Geography & Planning

Highly Qualified Personnel:

Xiao Ma

PhD
University of Saskatchewan
2019-2010

 

Research: High resolution regional climate modelling, convection mechanism diagnosis
Supervisor: Yanping Li (U of S)

 

 

Main collaborators for this work are the US National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).

Image result for environment and climate change canada logo

 

Environment and Climate Change Canada

 

 

 

US National Center for Atmospheric Research
 

  • Liang Chen, Yanping Li, Fei Chen, Michael Barlage, Zhe Zhang, Zhenhua Li, (2018): Using 4-km WRF CONUS simulations to assess impacts of the surface coupling strength on regional climate simulation, Climate Dynamics, MS No. CLDY-D-18-00001, (in revision)

  • Lucia Scaff, Andreas F. Prein, Yanping Li, Changhai Liu, Roy Rasmussen, Kyoko Ikeda, (2019): Simulating the diurnal cycle of convective precipitation in North America’s current and future climate with a convection- permitting model, Climate Dynamics, (in press)

  • Zhe Zhang, Yanping Li, Fei Chen, Michael Barlage, Zhenhua Li, (2018): Evaluation of convection-permitting WRF CONUS simulation on the relationship between soil moisture and heatwaves, Climate Dynamics, DOI: 10.1007/s00382-018-4508-5

  • Zhenhua Li, Yanping Li, Barrie Bonsal, Alan Manson, Lucia Scaff, (2018): Combined Impacts of ENSO and MJO on the 2015 Growing Season Drought over the Canadian Prairies, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 5057–5067