High-resolution non-hydrostatic simulations of flash-flood episodes with grid-nesting and ice-phase parameterization

Simulations of two heavy rainfall events south of the Alps have been conducted with a non-hydrostatic model at horizontal resolutions ranging from 40 to 2.5 km. Emphasis is placed on the assessment of two recent model developments: a detailed explicit mixed phase microphysical scheme and a two-way interactive grid nesting method. In the high-resolution simulations, the impact of the ice phase was found to be quite substantial, accelerating the propagation of the surface front and modifying the spatial distribution of the rainfall. Simulations carried out with two-way interactive grid nesting yielded more realistic overall precipitation patterns, particularly at the finest horizontal resolution.