Study of the Indian summer monsoon using WRF-ROMS regional coupled model simulations

A coupled regional atmosphere–ocean modeling system is developed using the existing regional models WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) and ROMS (Regional Ocean Modeling System) to study the influence of air–sea interactions on the simulation of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM). The two-way coupled regional model exchanges heat fluxes from atmosphere to ocean model and sea surface temperature (SST) from ocean to atmospheric model. The coupled model is used to simulate from May to September of ISM months of each year from 2000–2007, and the results are compared with observations and standalone atmospheric and oceanic models. The results show that the coupling improves the simulation of the Indian summer monsoon seasonal rainfall as well as the intra-seasonal oscillations of the rainfall. Copyright © 2013 Royal Meteorological Society