This
paper deals with the evaluation of parameterization schemes in the WRF
model for estimation of mixing height. Numerical experiments were
performed using various combinations of parameterization schemes and the
results were compared with the mixing height estimated using the
radiosonde observations taken by the India Meteorological Department
(IMD) at Mangalore site for selected days of the warm and cold season in
the years 2004–2007. The results indicate that there is a large
variation in the mixing heights estimated by the model using various
combinations of parameterization schemes. It was seen that the physics
option consisting of Mellor Yamada Janjic (Eta) as the PBL scheme, Monin
Obukhov Janjic (Eta) as the surface layer scheme, and Noah land surface
model performs reasonably well in reproducing the observed mixing
height at this site for both the seasons as compared to the other
combinations tested. This study also showed that the choice of the land
surface model can have a significant impact on the simulation of mixing
height by a prognostic model.