Idealized simulations of baroclinic waves

The effect of increasing SSTs and roughness on the meridional moisture flux (MMF) and precipitationn of extratropical cyclones are studied with idealized baroclinic wave simulations. The main objective is to quantify MMF, precipitation and several other factors of extratropical cyclones as the SSTs and roughness length are increased. The simulations are done in idealized conditions with Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model where the surface is only water. The sensitivity studies are conducted by changing the sea surface temperature (SST) homogeneously throughout the domain and changing the surface roughness length which depends on the wind speed. Increasing SSTs caused MMF and precipitation to increase, as well as, e. g. latent heat flux (LHF) increased and minimum surface pressure decreased. On the other hand, increasing roughness length caused MMF and precipitation to decrease, additionally, LHF decreased and minimum surface pressure increased. The largest effect of SSTs and roughness had on the LHF and convective precipitation and the smallest on the minimum surface pressure.