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Analysis of the long-term surface wind variability over complex terrain using a high spatial resolution WRF simulation

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Abstract

This work uses a WRF numerical simulation from 1960 to 2005 performed at a high horizontal resolution (2 km) to analyze the surface wind variability over a complex terrain region located in northern Iberia. A shorter slice of this simulation has been used in a previous study to demonstrate the ability of the WRF model in reproducing the observed wind variability during the period 1992–2005. Learning from that validation exercise, the extended simulation is herein used to inspect the wind behavior where and when observations are not available and to determine the main synoptic mechanisms responsible for the surface wind variability. A principal component analysis was applied to the daily mean wind. Two principal modes of variation accumulate a large percentage of the wind variability (83.7%). The first mode reflects the channeling of the flow between the large mountain systems in northern Iberia modulated by the smaller topographic features of the region. The second mode further contributes to stress the differentiated wind behavior over the mountains and valleys. Both modes show significant contributions at the higher frequencies during the whole analyzed period, with different contributions at lower frequencies during the different decades. A strong relationship was found between these two modes and the zonal and meridional large scale pressure gradients over the area. This relationship is described in the context of the influence of standard circulation modes relevant in the European region like the North Atlantic Oscillation, the East Atlantic pattern, East Atlantic/Western Russia pattern, and the Scandinavian pattern.

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Acknowledgments

This investigation was partially supported by projects CGL-2008-05093/CLI, CGL-2011-29677-C02, and PSE-120000-2008-9 and was accomplished within the collaboration agreement 09/153 between CIEMAT and UCM as well as the collaboration agreement 09/490 between CIEMAT and NCAR. NCAR is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. We would like to thank the Navarra Government and the ECMWF for facilitating the access to their data sets. We also would like to thank the reviewers for their comments which helped to improve the quality of the original manuscript. An initial version of the wavelet software was provided by C. Torrence and G. Compo (available on line at http://atoc.colorado.edu/research/wavelets/).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Astrofísica y CC, de la Atmósfera, Faculatad de CC, Físicas, UCM, Avenida Complutense s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Pedro A. Jiménez & J. Fidel González-Rouco

  2. División de Energías Renovables, CIEMAT, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Pedro A. Jiménez & J. Navarro

  3. Departamento de Física, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain

    Juan P. Montávez

  4. Department of Geography, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany

    E. García-Bustamante

  5. Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology Division, NCAR, Boulder, CO, USA

    J. Dudhia

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  1. Pedro A. Jiménez
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  2. J. Fidel González-Rouco
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  3. Juan P. Montávez
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  4. E. García-Bustamante
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  5. J. Navarro
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  6. J. Dudhia
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Correspondence to Pedro A. Jiménez.

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Jiménez, P.A., González-Rouco, J.F., Montávez, J.P. et al. Analysis of the long-term surface wind variability over complex terrain using a high spatial resolution WRF simulation. Clim Dyn 40, 1643–1656 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-012-1326-z

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