Impact of model resolution on the simulation of diurnal variations of precipitation over East Asia

The impact of model resolution on the simulation of diurnal variations of precipitation over East Asia during the summer monsoon period of 2006 is investigated by conducting a suite of ensemble simulations of three different cumulus parameterization schemes (CPS), which are Kain-Fritsch, Kain-Fritsch with a modified trigger function, and Simplified Arakawa-Schubert, and the convection-permitting (CP) setting with the Weather Research and Forecasting model. The horizontal resolutions of 50km, 27km, and 9km are applied for each different representation of convection process. Model simulations as a whole are able to mimic the diurnal and semidiurnal cycles with 24h and 12h peaks in the morning and the afternoon. However, the simulated afternoon peaks over land are earlier in the CPS runs, while delayed in the CP runs, compared to those observed. The increase of resolution improves the phase and amplitude of diurnal variations in the CP runs due to the explicit representation of the realistic cloud system. In addition, the contribution of nonconvective precipitation from the microphysical process significantly improves the phase of diurnal variations in the CPS runs, especially the afternoon peak over land. The KFtr scheme outperforms other schemes in reproducing the diurnal variations due to the relatively dominant role of nonconvective precipitation. Phase does not change with increasing resolution in the diurnal variations of convective precipitation. Only the modification of the convection scheme, such as the alternative trigger function in the KFtr scheme distinguished from the KF scheme, can make fundamental changes in phase of diurnal variation.