Preliminary results of the routine comparison of wind profiler data with the Meteorological Office Unified Model vertical wind profiles

An aim of the Met Offices wind profiler project is to provide routine compa risons between numerical weather prediction models and European wind profil er data. This paper describes early results of routine comparisons between wind profiles from a selection of European wind profilers with similar data from the Met Office's Unified Model (UM) at mesoscale resolution. It was found that data from Aberystwyth and Cabauw compared very well with model analyses. The profiler at La Ferte Vidame had a stable relationship w ith these model data but showed signs of a small bias. The profiler at Dunk eswell compared well with model analyses below 2.5km but required further a ssessment to determine its performance at greater altitudes. The wind profi ler at Camborne had the poorest relationship with model analyses. Investiga tions have revealed a problem with this systems configuration that has now been addressed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.