Met Office

Atmospheric Processes and Parametrizations

Carrying out research and development to improve the representation of physical processes in our weather and climate models.

Deep convective cloud – cumulonimbus

  • Provision of advice on model performance and products related to physical processes.

  • Development of the physical parametrizations in the climate and forecasting model.

  • Consultancy work related to our expertise in physical processes.

  • Deep convective cloud – cumulonimbus – reaches the tropopause and spreads out.

    Convection

    The statistical representation of convective clouds, their precipitation, phase changes and transports of heat, water and momentum in weather and climate prediction.

  • Microphysics and clouds play an important role in weather and climate prediction.

    Clouds and Microphysics

    The representation of clouds on the micro and macro scale in weather and climate prediction.

  • Radiation from the sun is scattered by aerosols, cloud particles and air molecules.

    Radiative transfer

    The representation of solar and infra-red radiation, and its interaction with clouds in our climate and weather forecast models.

  • Boundary layer clouds.

    Boundary layer

    The representation of turbulence in the atmosphere near the surface, e.g. for the formation and dissipation of fog, or extremes of temperature.

  • Lenticular wave clouds in Antarctica. These clouds are commonly observed over hills and mountains throughout the world and are associated with internal gravity wave motion.

    Orography

    The influence of mountains and hills on both local weather and large-scale weather systems.

  • The interaction between the surface and the atmosphere strongly depends on the surface

    Surface processes

    The atmosphere exchanges heat, moisture and momentum with the underlying land or sea surface.

  • Collaboration ensures that the UK maintains its leading role in weather and climate research.

    Convective Processes

    High-resolution forecast models which allow convective storms to form explicitly are central to improving forecasts of heavy rainfall and related weather.

  • The United Kingdom on 07/01/2010, imaged by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument on board the Terra satellite (image credit: NASA/GSFC, MODIS Rapid Response; http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov).

    Predictability

    Advances in both high-resolution modelling and ensemble prediction have brought about a significant improvement in forecasting capability. Further improvements will be gained by combining these two approaches.

  • Roy Kershaw

    Parametrization scientists

    Information on the wide range of work our parametrization scientists undertake; the projects they are involved with and their skills and interests.

Last Updated: 7 March 2011

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