[Wrf-users] problems with UPP: reflectivity in Thompson and M-Y schemes

[Case, Jonathan (MSFC-ZP11)[ENSCO INC]]

Dear wrf-users,

We are experiencing problems with output reflectivity on pressure surfaces for both the Thompson and Milbradt-Yau microphysics schemes (mp_physics = 8,9), using the ARW core and the unipost to create output GRIB files.

I noticed that in MDLFLD.f of the UPP, these schemes are both handled uniquely when computing reflectivity from model fields compared to the other microphysics schemes, although I can't say that I've looked into great detail yet at the contributing fields to the calculations.  Our min/max ranges are obviously unrealistic when interpolating the reflectivity to pressure surfaces, as we see values ranging from 3e-17 to very large values sometimes approaching 1e+6.

Can someone advise us on what might be going wrong in the UPP when computing reflectivity on pressure surfaces with these 2 schemes?

FYI, we are using WRF v3.4.1, UPP v2.1, and have implemented the Thompson reflectivity patch.

Many thanks,
Jonathan

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Jonathan Case;  Research Meteorologist at ENSCO, Inc./NASA
Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center
320 Sparkman Dr., Room 3008; Huntsville, AL 35805
Emails: Jonathan.Case-1 at nasa.gov<mailto:Jonathan.Case-1 at nasa.gov> (preferred) or case.jonathan at ensco.com<mailto:case.jonathan at ensco.com>
Voice: 256.961.7504  ;  Fax: 256.961.7788
http://weather.msfc.nasa.gov/sport/
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