Appendix M: Regional-Scale Weather Modeling with WRF-ACASA

Year
2018

The Advanced Canopy-Atmosphere-Soil Algorithm (ACASA) microscale model, developed at UC Davis, was coupled with the Weather Research Forecasting (WRF) regional (mesoscale) model. It was tested for the Delta region to check if it could provide wind velocity information for targeted parcels and stations that could be used for ET estimation. Our results demonstrated the coupled WRF-ACASA model could accurately yield wind velocities at test sites for model runs of 24 hours or less. Therefore, this model could provide wind and other important weather variables at local scales, and thus minimize the need for future extensive field measurements, when used in a retrospective mode, and has potential for short-term forecasts. Other future uses of WRF-ACASA version could be to provide the ability to do real-time assessments and climate change impacts on local crop water consumption within the unique Delta setting.

Resource Type