Evaluation of Climate simulations at High Resolution over Sumatra Employing the WRF Model

Abstract

Dynamical downscaling of global climate model at high-resolution (10-km) has been completed for 20 years period (1980-1999) over Sumatra Island. Models downscaled using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model driven by the global climate model Community Earth System Model version 1 and ERA- Interim reanalysis dataset. This paper focuses on climatological precipitation and temperature simulations over Sumatra. The results of CESM/WRF were evaluated by comparison using observation datasets of the University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit, the University of Delaware Air Temperature and Precipitation, and the Global Precipitation Climate Center, ERA-Interim reanalysis, and ERA-Interim/WRF. The WRF model simulations driven by CESM performs much better than original CESM simulations. CESM/WRF simulated precipitation and temperature agree well with observation datasets and reanalysis dataset. CESM/WRF simulations shows perfectly agreement with ERA/WRF simulations. The WRF model was provide detail information of climate simulation at high resolution and enhances local spatial distribution. The regional climate model reproduces the spatial distribution of precipitation and temperature well; precipitation is higher in the high mountains and lower in around coastline. Temperature shown the same skill with precipitation. This study shows that WRF can be useful for generating high resolution climate information for precipitation and temperature of Sumatra.