4.5 Effects of the Great Salt Lake’s Temperature and Size on Regional Precipitation in the WRF Model

Grim, Joseph A., J. C. Knievel, and H. H. Fisher, National Center for Atmospheric Research

The skin temperature of the Great Salt Lake in northern Utah can change dramatically in just a few days, and the lake’s area and salinity can change dramatically in just a few years. This study explores how such changes can affect regional precipitation in the WRF Model. The lake’s skin temperature is represented using data from NASA’s MODIS instrument. The lake’s size is represented using topographic and bathymetric data, in combination with real-time measurements of lake surface elevation. Results from one or two initial cases will be discussed, as will possible implications under a changing climate.