A method for assessing model extensions: application to modelling winter precipitation with a microscale obstacle-resolving meteorological model (MITRAS v3.3)

Samsel, Karolin S.; Boettcher, Marita; Grawe, David; Schlünzen, K. Heinke; Sieck, Kevin

doi:10.5194/gmd-19-4885-2026

Articles | Volume 19, issue 11

https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-4885-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-4885-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 19, issue 11

Development and technical paper

|

11 Jun 2026

Development and technical paper |

| 11 Jun 2026

A method for assessing model extensions: application to modelling winter precipitation with a microscale obstacle-resolving meteorological model (MITRAS v3.3)

Karolin S. Samsel, Marita Boettcher, David Grawe, K. Heinke Schlünzen, and Kevin Sieck

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-4885-2026-supplement

Data sets

Simulations for assessing model extensions using an obstacle-resolving model K. S. Samsel et al. https://doi.org/10.26050/WDCC/WINTER_HAM_MitrasModEx

Model code and software

Analysis and plotting scripts supporting: "A method for assessing model extensions: Application to modelling winter precipitation with a microscale obstacle-resolving meteorological model (MITRAS v4.0)" K. S. Samsel https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15194835

MITRAS version 3.0 Universität Hamburg, Meteorologisches Institut, MEMI https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15705546

MITRAS version 3.1 Universität Hamburg, Meteorologisches Institut, MEMI https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15705665

MITRAS version 3.3 Universität Hamburg, Meteorologisches Institut, MEMI https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15705609

Short summary

A microscale, obstacle-resolving meteorological model has been extended with a snow cover and precipitation scheme making it the first model of its kind that includes rain and snow. The model allows first estimates on the influence of different city characteristics on precipitation heterogeneities. The performance of the model extension is assessed by comparing the results of different model versions. For the comparisons, threshold values were derived based on computational accuracy.