Statistical post‐processing of ensemble forecasts of temperature in Santiago de Chile

Abstract Modelling forecast uncertainty is a difficult task in any forecasting problem. In weather forecasting a possible solution is the use of forecast ensembles, which are obtained from multiple runs of numerical weather prediction models with various initial conditions and model parametrizations...

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Main Authors: Mailiu Díaz, Orietta Nicolis, Julio César Marín, Sándor Baran
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-01-01
Series:Meteorological Applications
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/met.1818
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author Mailiu Díaz
Orietta Nicolis
Julio César Marín
Sándor Baran
author_facet Mailiu Díaz
Orietta Nicolis
Julio César Marín
Sándor Baran
author_sort Mailiu Díaz
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Modelling forecast uncertainty is a difficult task in any forecasting problem. In weather forecasting a possible solution is the use of forecast ensembles, which are obtained from multiple runs of numerical weather prediction models with various initial conditions and model parametrizations to provide information about the expected uncertainty. Currently all major meteorological centres issue forecasts using their operational ensemble prediction systems. However, it is a general problem that the spread of the ensemble is too small compared to observations at specific sites resulting in under‐dispersive forecasts, leading to a lack of calibration. In order to correct this problem, various statistical calibration techniques have been developed in the last two decades. In the present work different post‐processing techniques were tested for calibrating nine member ensemble forecasts of temperature for Santiago de Chile, obtained by the Weather Research and Forecasting model using different planetary boundary layer and land surface model parametrizations. In particular, the ensemble model output statistics and Bayesian model averaging techniques were implemented and, since the observations are characterized by large altitude differences, the estimation of model parameters was adapted to the actual conditions at hand. Compared to the raw ensemble, all tested post‐processing approaches significantly improve the calibration of probabilistic forecasts and the accuracy of point forecasts. The ensemble model output statistics method using parameter estimation based on expert clustering of stations (according to their altitudes) shows the best forecast skill.
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spelling doaj.art-ad4439009c104c61afd3289be80921f92023-02-22T07:11:33ZengWileyMeteorological Applications1350-48271469-80802020-01-01271n/an/a10.1002/met.1818Statistical post‐processing of ensemble forecasts of temperature in Santiago de ChileMailiu Díaz0Orietta Nicolis1Julio César Marín2Sándor Baran3Department of Statistics University of Valparaíso Valparaíso ChileDepartment of Statistics University of Valparaíso Valparaíso ChileDepartment of Meteorology University of Valparaíso Valparaíso ChileDepartment of Applied Mathematics and Probability Theory, Faculty of Informatics University of Debrecen Debrecen HungaryAbstract Modelling forecast uncertainty is a difficult task in any forecasting problem. In weather forecasting a possible solution is the use of forecast ensembles, which are obtained from multiple runs of numerical weather prediction models with various initial conditions and model parametrizations to provide information about the expected uncertainty. Currently all major meteorological centres issue forecasts using their operational ensemble prediction systems. However, it is a general problem that the spread of the ensemble is too small compared to observations at specific sites resulting in under‐dispersive forecasts, leading to a lack of calibration. In order to correct this problem, various statistical calibration techniques have been developed in the last two decades. In the present work different post‐processing techniques were tested for calibrating nine member ensemble forecasts of temperature for Santiago de Chile, obtained by the Weather Research and Forecasting model using different planetary boundary layer and land surface model parametrizations. In particular, the ensemble model output statistics and Bayesian model averaging techniques were implemented and, since the observations are characterized by large altitude differences, the estimation of model parameters was adapted to the actual conditions at hand. Compared to the raw ensemble, all tested post‐processing approaches significantly improve the calibration of probabilistic forecasts and the accuracy of point forecasts. The ensemble model output statistics method using parameter estimation based on expert clustering of stations (according to their altitudes) shows the best forecast skill.https://doi.org/10.1002/met.1818Bayesian model averagingensemble model output statisticsensemble post‐processingprobabilistic forecastingtemperature forecast
spellingShingle Mailiu Díaz
Orietta Nicolis
Julio César Marín
Sándor Baran
Statistical post‐processing of ensemble forecasts of temperature in Santiago de Chile
Meteorological Applications
Bayesian model averaging
ensemble model output statistics
ensemble post‐processing
probabilistic forecasting
temperature forecast
title Statistical post‐processing of ensemble forecasts of temperature in Santiago de Chile
title_full Statistical post‐processing of ensemble forecasts of temperature in Santiago de Chile
title_fullStr Statistical post‐processing of ensemble forecasts of temperature in Santiago de Chile
title_full_unstemmed Statistical post‐processing of ensemble forecasts of temperature in Santiago de Chile
title_short Statistical post‐processing of ensemble forecasts of temperature in Santiago de Chile
title_sort statistical post processing of ensemble forecasts of temperature in santiago de chile
topic Bayesian model averaging
ensemble model output statistics
ensemble post‐processing
probabilistic forecasting
temperature forecast
url https://doi.org/10.1002/met.1818
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AT oriettanicolis statisticalpostprocessingofensembleforecastsoftemperatureinsantiagodechile
AT juliocesarmarin statisticalpostprocessingofensembleforecastsoftemperatureinsantiagodechile
AT sandorbaran statisticalpostprocessingofensembleforecastsoftemperatureinsantiagodechile