On the performance of a conceptual model of convection during preparationsfor the world weather research project nowcasting intercomparison during the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia

The WMO World Weather Research Project Nowcasting Intercomparison due to ta ke place in September 2000 during the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia se eks to compare the performance of a number of nowcasting systems from diffe rent groups world-wide. The University of Salford, in collaboration with th e UK Met. Office is participating by running the GANDOLF and Nimrod nowcast ing systems. During the preparations for this intercomparison work to insta ll and test the systems in Sydney has been carried out. In this paper we ou tline work undertaken by the Salford team to analyse the performance of the GANDOLF system with particular reference to the conceptual model of convec tion included therein. The basis of the system is the analysis of radar dat a in conjunction with numerical model data. Several case studies are discus sed based upon the data from the radar located at Kurnell, south of the cit y of Sydney. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.