Transforming cloudy air masses and surface impacts: a case study confronting MOSAiC observations, reanalyses and coupled model simulations | CU Experts

Variability in the components of the Arctic surface energy budget and the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) structure are to a large extent controlled by synoptic-scale changes and associated air mass properties. The transition of air masses between the radiatively clear and cloudy states, along with their characteristic surface impacts in radiation and ABL structure, can occur in either direction and on short time scales. In both states as well as during the transition, insufficient model representation of radiative processes and cloud microphysical properties cause biases in numerical weather prediction- and climate models. We employ observations from radiosondes, MET tower, and the ShupeTurner cloud microphysics product, which itself synthesizes a wealth of instruments, for the classification of an event of transition between low-level mixed phase cloud and clear conditions. The observed air mass properties and transition process are compared to ERA5 reanalysis data and output from a simulation of the coupled regional climate model HIRHAM-NAOSIM which applied non-spectral nudging to ERA5 in order to reproduce the observed synoptic-scale changes. The approach highlights the potential of event-based analysis of transformations of cloudy Arctic air masses by confronting models with observations.

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