Effects of fine terrain complexity on cloud and precipitation changes over the Tibetan Plateau: a modeling study

Abstract

Inaccurate characterization of complex topography leads to the wet bias in climate models, particularly affecting terrain effects in regions like the Tibetan Plateau (TP). This study utilizes the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with multiple terrain datasets and introduces the terrain complexity index (TCI) to quantify the degree of terrain changes, aiming to evaluate how terrain complexity affects the cloud and precipitation processes over the TP. The results indicate that fine terrain complexity primarily causes earlier cloud formation and precipitation, resulting in more heavy precipitation on the southern slope of the TP (SSTP) and more light precipitation on the TP platform. The structure of moisture transport and microphysical processes further reveals that this promotes the formation of more medium and high clouds, increasing the proportion of solid precipitation over the SSTP. Over the TP platform, the restriction of medium and high cloud development with enhancing the proportion of low clouds for more liquid precipitation. These findings deepen the understanding of the TP’s complex terrain effect on cloud and precipitation changes in the Asian water cycle.