Item Details

Title: Evaluation of the WRF Model to Simulate a High-Intensity Rainfall Event over Kampala, Uganda

Date Published: March 2021
Author/s: Yakob Umer, Janneke Ettema, Victor Jetten, Gert-Jan Steeneveld and Reinder Ronda
Data publication:
Funding Agency : University of Twente.
Copyright/patents/trade marks: MDPI
Journal Publisher: MDPI
Affiliation: Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), University of Twente, P.O. Box 217,
7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands; j.ettema@utwente.nl (J.E.); v.g.jetten@utwente.nl (V.J.)
2 Meteorology and Air Quality Section, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen,
The Netherlands; gert-jan.steeneveld@wur.nl (G.-J.S.); Reinder.Ronda@wur.nl (R.R.)
Keywords: deep convection; high-intensity rainfall event; Kampala; parametrization combinations;
TOPSIS; Uganda; WRF model evaluation

Abstract:

Simulating high-intensity rainfall events that trigger local floods using a Numerical Weather
Prediction model is challenging as rain-bearing systems are highly complex and localized. In this
study, we analyze the performance of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model’s capability
in simulating a high-intensity rainfall event using a variety of parameterization combinations over
the Kampala catchment, Uganda. The study uses the high-intensity rainfall event that caused the
local flood hazard on 25 June 2012 as a case study. The model capability to simulate the high-intensity
rainfall event is performed for 24 simulations with a different combination of eight microphysics
(MP), four cumulus (CP), and three planetary boundary layer (PBL) schemes. The model results
are evaluated in terms of the total 24-h rainfall amount and its temporal and spatial distributions
over the Kampala catchment using the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal
Solution (TOPSIS) analysis. Rainfall observations from two gauging stations and the CHIRPS satellite
product served as benchmark.