The Moisture Budget of the Central United States in Spring as Evaluated in the NCEP/NCAR and the NASA/DAO Reanalyses

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The moisture budget of the central United States during May is examined using multiyear (1985–89) assimilated datasets recently produced by NASA/DAO and NCEP/NCAR. Intercomparisons and comparisons with station observations are used to evaluate the limitations of the assimilated products for studies of the atmospheric component of the U.S. hydrologic cycle. Attempts are made to reconcile differences in terms of disparities in the analysis systems. Both reanalyses overestimate daily mean precipitation rates by a factor of almost 2 over the southeastern United States. This is associated with much larger than observed afternoon convective rain and a substantial overestimate of the number of days with precipitation. Both products capture the transition to the much drier conditions over the western United States, though the NCEP/NCAR product extends moderate rain rates too far to the northwest. Over the Great Plains, the reanalyses capture observed synoptic-scale precipitation events quite well, but th... Abstract The moisture budget of the central United States during May is examined using multiyear (1985–89) assimilated datasets recently produced by NASA/DAO and NCEP/NCAR. Intercomparisons and comparisons with station observations are used to evaluate the limitations of the assimilated products for studies of the atmospheric component of the U.S. hydrologic cycle. Attempts are made to reconcile differences in terms of disparities in the analysis systems. Both reanalyses overestimate daily mean precipitation rates by a factor of almost 2 over the southeastern United States. This is associated with much larger than observed afternoon convective rain and a substantial overestimate of the number of days with precipitation. Both products capture the transition to the much drier conditions over the western United States, though the NCEP/NCAR product extends moderate rain rates too far to the northwest. Over the Great Plains, the reanalyses capture observed synoptic-scale precipitation events quite well, but th...

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: