A Study on the Influence of the Land Surface Processes on the Southwest Monsoon Simulations using a Regional Climate Model

Influence of the land surface processes as an important mechanism in the development of the Indian Summer Monsoon is studied by performing simulations with a regional atmospheric model. Seasonal scale simulations are conducted for two contrasting summer monsoons (MJJAS months) in 2008 & 2009 with the Weather Research and Forecasting-Advanced Research regional model at a high resolution of 15 km using the boundary conditions derived from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis data and using the NOAH land surface parameterization scheme. Simulations are evaluated by comparison of precipitation with 0.5° India Meteorological Department gridded rainfall data over land, atmospheric circulation fields with 1° resolution NCEP global final analysis, and surface fluxes with 0.75° resolution Era-Interim reanalysis. Results indicated significant variation in the evolution of the surface fluxes, air temperatures and flux convergence in the 2 contrasting years. A lower albedo, higher heating (sensible, latent heat fluxes), higher air temperatures, stronger flow and higher moisture flux convergence are noted over the subcontinent during the monsoon 2008 relative to the monsoon 2009. The simulated surface fluxes are in good comparison with observations. The stronger flow in 2008 is found to be associated with stronger heat flux gradients as well as stronger north-south geopotential/pressure gradients. The simulations revealed notable differences in many features such as zonal and meridional surface sensible heat gradients which, in turn, influenced the low-level pressure gradients, wind flow, and moisture transport. The present study reveals that, even at a regional scale, the physical processes of land-surface energy partitioning do influence the regional behavior of the monsoon system to a certain extent.