Articles | Volume 5, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-609-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-5-609-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
25 Apr 2024
Research article |
| 25 Apr 2024
| 25 Apr 2024
Exploring the daytime boundary layer evolution based on Doppler spectrum width from multiple coplanar wind lidars during CROSSINN
Nevio Babić
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Croatia Control Ltd., Ulica Rudolfa Fizira 2, 10410, Velika Gorica, Croatia
Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
Bianca Adler
CIRES, University of Colorado Boulder, and NOAA/Physical Sciences Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado, USA
Alexander Gohm
Department of Atmospheric and Cryospheric Sciences, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
Manuela Lehner
Department of Atmospheric and Cryospheric Sciences, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
Norbert Kalthoff
Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
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Johannes Mikkola, Victoria A. Sinclair, Giancarlo Ciarelli, Alexander Gohm, and Federico Bianchi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 11171–11187, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-11171-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-11171-2026, 2026
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This study investigates the effect of black carbon on the diurnal winds within idealised mountain valleys using numerical simulations. Absorption of solar radiation by black carbon weakens the up-slope winds, but unexpectedly strengthens the afternoon up-valley winds. This happens because weaker up-slope winds remove less momentum from the valley, allowing the up-valley winds to become stronger even though the overall driving force is reduced by the absorption.
Katharina Theresa Scheidt, Rafael Pimentel, Paolo Deidda, Carlo Marin, Davide Gisolo, Davide Canone, María José Polo, Claudia Notarnicola, and Manuela Lehner
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3417, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3417, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
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Snowmelt can be strongly influenced by energy exchange between the atmosphere and the snow surface, but these exchanges are difficult to estimate in mountain regions. Using measurements from twelve sites across the European Alps, we assessed the effects of measurement errors and common modeling assumptions. We found that uncertainties can be large and that widely used assumptions do not always hold, highlighting the need for caution when applying these methods in complex terrain.
Nicola Bodini, Joseph Olson, Brian Gaudet, Giacomo Valerio Iungo, Mojtaba Shams Solari, Sayahnya Roy, Julie K. Lundquist, Nathan Agarwal, Timothy A. Myers, Bianca Adler, Jeffrey D. Mirocha, Eric James, Laura Bianco, James M. Wilczak, and David D. Turner
Wind Energ. Sci., 11, 1949–1961, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-11-1949-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-11-1949-2026, 2026
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To improve offshore wind forecasts, the Third Wind Forecast Improvement Project monitored the United States east coast for 18 months. We compiled a daily log of weather events using advanced scanners and expert notes. This public dataset identifies important wind patterns, helping scientists test computer models and choose specific cases to study.
Matthias Reif, Mathias Rotach, Georg Wohlfahrt, and Alexander Gohm
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-939, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-939, 2026
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This study examines how model detail affects carbon dioxide exchange in the Alps. Complex terrain causes uncertainty in climate simulations. At coarse scales, missing topographic detail is the primary source of error. At finer scales, tuning of the biological settings is more vital for accuracy. Identifying temperature and radiation as drivers enables development of better tools to simulate carbon dioxide and moisture exchange in mountains.
David D. Turner, Bianca Adler, Laura Bianco, James M. Wilczak, Vincent Michaud-Belleau, and Luc Rochette
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 1573–1586, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1573-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1573-2026, 2026
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It is critical that a network of ground-based instruments that measure temperature and humidity profiles be well calibrated, so that differences between any two profiles can be attributed to atmospheric differences and not instrument calibration issues. This study evaluated the relative accuracy of 7 ground-based infrared spectrometers and their ability to measure these profiles, and found that the profile bias was much smaller than the uncertainty in the retrieved profiles themselves.
Bianca Adler, Laura Bianco, David D. Turner, Joseph B. Olson, Xia Sun, Joshua Gebauer, Nicola Bodini, Stefano Letizia, and James M. Wilczak
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-97, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-97, 2026
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Accurate operational forecasts of temperature and wind in the coastal marine boundary layer are important for a wide range of applications. Leveraging data that were collected along the U.S. northeast coast during a multi-year period for the Third Wind Forecast Improvement project, we investigated the performance of the operational forecast model and identified systematic errors in wind and temperature forecasts that are now being addressed by the model developers.
Deepanshu Malik, Hendrik Andersen, Jan Cermak, Roland Vogt, and Bianca Adler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 681–701, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-681-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-681-2026, 2026
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We investigated cloud base height changes in the Namib Desert and developed a method to estimate it using ground-based humidity data. This improves fog monitoring by distinguishing fog from low clouds, which satellites alone cannot reliably do. Our results reveal diurnal patterns and linkages to coastal proximity in the vertical dynamics of fog and low clouds, highlighting key atmospheric processes with potential importance for future research.
Viola Hipler, Hendrik Andersen, Robert Spirig, Roland Vogt, Stuart Piketh, Bianca Adler, and Jan Cermak
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5816, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5816, 2026
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Fog is a key component of the Namib Desert ecosystem, and is mostly associated with the advection of marine stratus clouds. Here, we use local measurements near the coast to distinguish fog situations from lifted low-cloud situations. Using reanalysis data, we find synoptic and regional-scale processes over the ocean and over the continent that are connected to stratus altitude and therefore fog occurrence patterns. The results lead to a better understanding of the coastal desert fog system.
Christoph Kottmeier, Andreas Wieser, Ulrich Corsmeier, Norbert Kalthoff, Philipp Gasch, Bastian Kirsch, Dörthe Ebert, Zbigniew Ulanowski, Dieter Schell, Harald Franke, Florian Schmidmer, Johannes Frielingsdorf, Thomas Feuerle, and Rudolf Hankers
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 3161–3178, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3161-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3161-2025, 2025
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A new aerological dropsonde system for research aircraft has been developed. The system allows up to four sondes to be dropped with one release container, and data from up to 30 sondes can be transmitted simultaneously. The sondes enable high-resolution profiling of temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind. Additional sensors for radioactivity and particles have been integrated and tested. Operations in different campaigns have confirmed the reliability of the system and the quality of data.
Johannes Mikkola, Alexander Gohm, Victoria A. Sinclair, and Federico Bianchi
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 511–533, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-511-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-511-2025, 2025
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This study investigates the influence of valley floor inclination on diurnal winds and passive tracer transport within idealised mountain valleys using numerical simulations. The valley inclination strengthens the daytime up-valley winds but only up to a certain point. Beyond that critical angle, the winds weaken again. The inclined valleys transport the tracers higher up in the free troposphere, which would, for example, lead to higher potential for long-range transport.
Bianca Adler, David D. Turner, Laura Bianco, Irina V. Djalalova, Timothy Myers, and James M. Wilczak
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6603–6624, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6603-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6603-2024, 2024
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Continuous profile observations of temperature and humidity in the lowest part of the atmosphere are essential for the evaluation of numerical weather prediction models and data assimilation for better weather forecasts. Such profiles can be retrieved from passive ground-based remote sensing instruments like infrared spectrometers and microwave radiometers. In this study, we describe three recent modifications to the retrieval framework TROPoe for improved temperature and humidity profiles.
Laura Bianco, Bianca Adler, Ludovic Bariteau, Irina V. Djalalova, Timothy Myers, Sergio Pezoa, David D. Turner, and James M. Wilczak
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3933–3948, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3933-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3933-2024, 2024
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The Tropospheric Remotely Observed Profiling via Optimal Estimation physical retrieval is used to retrieve temperature and humidity profiles from various combinations of passive and active remote sensing instruments, surface platforms, and numerical weather prediction models. The retrieved profiles are assessed against collocated radiosonde in non-cloudy conditions to assess the sensitivity of the retrievals to different input combinations. Case studies with cloudy conditions are also inspected.
Bianca Adler, James M. Wilczak, Jaymes Kenyon, Laura Bianco, Irina V. Djalalova, Joseph B. Olson, and David D. Turner
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 597–619, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-597-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-597-2023, 2023
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Rapid changes in wind speed make the integration of wind energy produced during persistent orographic cold-air pools difficult to integrate into the electrical grid. By evaluating three versions of NOAA’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model, we demonstrate how model developments targeted during the second Wind Forecast Improvement Project improve the forecast of a persistent cold-air pool event.
Cornelius Immanuel Weiß, Alexander Gohm, Mathias Walter Rotach, and Thomas Torora Minda
Weather Clim. Dynam., 3, 1003–1019, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-1003-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-1003-2022, 2022
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Two gap flow events in the Great Rift Valley in Ethiopia were investigated based on observations, ERA5 reanalysis data, and simulations with the numerical weather prediction model WRF. The main focus was on strong winds in the area around Lake Abaya since the winds may generate waves on the lake which help to sustain the lake's ecology. That is important in terms of food supply for the local population. The gap winds exhibit a diurnal cycle and a seasonal dependence.
Helen Claire Ward, Mathias Walter Rotach, Alexander Gohm, Martin Graus, Thomas Karl, Maren Haid, Lukas Umek, and Thomas Muschinski
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 6559–6593, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6559-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6559-2022, 2022
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This study examines how cities and their surroundings influence turbulent exchange processes responsible for weather and climate. Analysis of a 4-year observational dataset for the Alpine city of Innsbruck reveals several similarities with other (flat) city centre sites. However, the mountain setting leads to characteristic daily and seasonal flow patterns (valley winds) and downslope windstorms that have a marked effect on temperature, wind speed, turbulence and pollutant concentration.
James B. Duncan Jr., Laura Bianco, Bianca Adler, Tyler Bell, Irina V. Djalalova, Laura Riihimaki, Joseph Sedlar, Elizabeth N. Smith, David D. Turner, Timothy J. Wagner, and James M. Wilczak
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 2479–2502, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2479-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2479-2022, 2022
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In this study, several ground-based remote sensing instruments are used to estimate the height of the convective planetary boundary layer, and their performance is compared against independent boundary layer depth estimates obtained from radiosondes launched as part of the CHEESEHEAD19 field campaign. The impact of clouds (particularly boundary layer clouds) on the estimation of the boundary layer depth is also investigated.
Manuel Saigger and Alexander Gohm
Weather Clim. Dynam., 3, 279–303, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-279-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-3-279-2022, 2022
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In this work a special form of a foehn wind in an Alpine valley with a large-scale northwesterly flow is investigated. The study clarifies the origin of the air mass and the mechanisms by which this air enters the valley. A trajectory analysis shows that the location where the main airstream passes the crest line is more suitable for a foehn classification than the local or large-scale wind direction. Mountain waves and a lee rotor were crucial for importing air into the valley.
Adrien Deroubaix, Laurent Menut, Cyrille Flamant, Peter Knippertz, Andreas H. Fink, Anneke Batenburg, Joel Brito, Cyrielle Denjean, Cheikh Dione, Régis Dupuy, Valerian Hahn, Norbert Kalthoff, Fabienne Lohou, Alfons Schwarzenboeck, Guillaume Siour, Paolo Tuccella, and Christiane Voigt
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 3251–3273, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3251-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3251-2022, 2022
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During the summer monsoon in West Africa, pollutants emitted in urbanized areas modify cloud cover and precipitation patterns. We analyze these patterns with the WRF-CHIMERE model, integrating the effects of aerosols on meteorology, based on the numerous observations provided by the Dynamics-Aerosol-Climate-Interactions campaign. This study adds evidence to recent findings that increased pollution levels in West Africa delay the breakup time of low-level clouds and reduce precipitation.
Irina V. Djalalova, David D. Turner, Laura Bianco, James M. Wilczak, James Duncan, Bianca Adler, and Daniel Gottas
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 521–537, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-521-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-521-2022, 2022
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In this paper we investigate the synergy obtained by combining active (radio acoustic sounding system – RASS) and passive (microwave radiometer) remote sensing observations to obtain temperature vertical profiles through a radiative transfer model. Inclusion of the RASS observations leads to more accurate temperature profiles from the surface to 5 km above ground, well above the maximum height of the RASS observations themselves (2000 m), when compared to the microwave radiometer used alone.
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Short summary
Day-to-day weather over mountains remains a significant challenge in the domain of weather forecast. Using a combination of measurements from several instrument platforms, including Doppler lidars, aircraft, and radiosondes, we developed a method that relies primarily on turbulence characteristics of the lowest layers of the atmosphere. As a result, we identified new ways in which atmosphere behaves over mountains during daytime, which may serve to further improve forecasting capabilities.
Day-to-day weather over mountains remains a significant challenge in the domain of weather...
