The 3D-Var Data Assimilation Experiments on a Dense Fog Event over the Central Plain of China

Nonhydrostatic mesoscale WRF and its 3D-Var system are used to study a dense fog event occurring in 13-14 January 2006. Three different observation data sets including GTS (Global Telecommunication System), AMDAR (Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay) data, and 9210 data are assimilated into the initial analysis fields in experiments. Experiments with three different assimilation time intervals (1, 3, and 6 h) are also carried out. Three experiments with different data sets have all modified the temperature and humidity field of initial fields, and therefore show an obvious positive effect on fog simulation. Further study indicates that the humidity and stability of boundary layer are improved obviously in assimilation experiments, although different data sets make different contribution to the analysis fields. The multi-time assimilation cycle experiments show that the analysis increment in experiment with 1-h interval is more realistic than that with 3- and 6-h intervals.