Evaluation of Convective and Stratiform Precipitation in High-Resolution Regional Climate Model Runs over the Czech Republic

This study examines the characteristics of convective and stratiform precipitation in three runs of the high-resolution (2.3 km) regional climate model ALADIN-CLIMATE/CZ, operated by the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, over the Czech Republic for the period 1990–2014. The first run (reanalysis run) is driven by ERA5 boundary conditions and includes station data assimilation, the second run (evaluation run) is similarly forced by ERA5 but without station data assimilation, and the third run (historical run) is driven by the global climate model CNRM-ESM2-1. types.  These model runs are compared againts station measurements and ERA5 reanalysis to evaluate the model’s skill in simulating both convective and stratiform events across the Czech Republic. Spatial distribution and trends of precipitation characteristics are also assessed.

Results show that the ALADIN-CLIMATE/CZ model overestimates both stratiform and convective precipitation in all months. In summer, convective precipitation is better captured by the modelthan stratiform precipitation. Among the three simulations, the reanalysis run,which includes data assimilation, exhibits the closest alignment with observations. By identifying and understanding the strengths and limitations of each model run, this research provides valuable insights into the reliability of high-resolution regional climate models and theirs applications for future climate assessments.