Improved simulation of thunderstorm characteristics and polarimetric signatures with LIMA two-moment microphysics in AROME

David, Cloé; Augros, Clotilde; Vié, Benoit; Bouttier, François; Le Bastard, Tony

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3715-2025

Articles | Volume 18, issue 15

https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3715-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3715-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 18, issue 15

Research article

|

11 Aug 2025

Research article |

| 11 Aug 2025

Improved simulation of thunderstorm characteristics and polarimetric signatures with LIMA two-moment microphysics in AROME

Cloé David, Clotilde Augros, Benoit Vié, François Bouttier, and Tony Le Bastard

Data sets

RADAR double-polar radial raw data from PAM* products Météo-France https://radarsmf.aeris-data.fr/description/?uuid=dea49d60-1489-458e-a8de-589d21b14ca4

C-band tables with ICE3 microphysics for OPERADAR Cloé David https://doi.org/10.57932/8658B5E3-8314-476B-B3DF-29958AF6D9D6

C-band tables with LIMA microphysics for OPERADAR Cloé David https://doi.org/10.57932/D321C87D-053F-494E-A5F9-C638D6F34E4A

S-band tables with ICE3 microphysics for OPERADAR Cloé David https://doi.org/10.57932/62183D3A-22D3-42CD-B7BF-CCFA037696D1

S-band tables with LIMA microphysics fo OPERADAR Cloé David https://doi.org/10.57932/BE018834-ACDD-48DA-86F0-9CA57908DE6C

Model code and software

OPERADAR (Version 0.0) Clotilde Augros https://github.com/UMR-CNRM/operadar

Video supplement

2022-06-20 radar and model data cell tracking David Cloé https://doi.org/10.57932/346805fe-faf3-4c86-96b7-956e1735f495

Short summary

Simulations of storm characteristics and associated radar signatures were improved, especially under the freezing level, using an advanced cloud scheme. Discrepancies between observations and forecasts at and above the melting layer highlighted issues in both the radar forward operator and the microphysics. To overcome some of these issues, different parameterizations of the operator were suggested. This work aligns with the future integration of polarimetric data into assimilation systems.