INFLUENCE OF LAND USE / LAND COVER IN SIMULATING THE THUNDERSTORM EVENT USING MESOSCALE MODEL

D.V.Mahalakshmi, P Sujatha, K.V.S.Badarinath, C.V.Naidu

Abstract: The effects of historical land use/land cover (LU/LC) changes on the convective activity over Hyderabad in pre monsoon season were investigated as a case study. The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) LU/LC being used as default in mesoscale model which corresponds to 1992-93 period More over it was derived from AVHRR data (1km resolution). LU/LC is one of the important governing parameters in mesoscale modeling. There is need to modify the LU/LC data in the model due to changes in LU/LC over long period of time and require higher spatial resolution. We have incorporated 2007-08 AWiFs (56m resolution) derived LU/LC data in mesoscale model to investigate whether it improves the simulation of thunderstorm activity over Hyderabad. In the present study, we made a comparative assessment of IRS-P6 AWiFS derived LULC data over Indian region with that of USGS in MM5 mesoscale model to simulate pre-monsoon season thunderstorm activity over Hyderabad on 13th & 17th April 2006. The results of the study suggested that LU/LC has influence in simulate the convective activity. Further, the results suggest that it is proof of concept to show that LU/LC can be easily incorporated into MM5 for better understanding

Keywords: Mesoscale Model, Thunderstorms, land use/land cover

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2014.0307019