Evaluation of boundary-layer and urban-canopy parameterizations for simulating wind in Miami during Hurricane Irma (2017)

To assess the subgrid-scale parameterizations of these layers, mesoscale model simulations were executed and evaluated against near-surface observations as the outer wind field of Hurricane Irma (2017) interacted with the built-up region from downtown Miami northward to West Palm Beach.

Four model simulations were examined, comprising two different planetary boundary layer (PBL) parameterizations (a local closure scheme with turbulent kinetic energy prediction and a nonlocal closure scheme) and two different urban canopy models (UCMs) [a zeroth-order bulk scheme and a multilayer building effect parameterization (BEP) that mimics the three-dimensionality of buildings]. Overall, the simulated urban canopy winds were weakly sensitive to the PBL scheme and strongly sensitive to the UCM.