Evaluating modelled winds over an urban area using ground‐based Doppler lidar observations

Wind information in urban areas is essential for many applications related to air pollution, climate and planning, safety of drone-related operations, assessment wind energy potential. These require accurate forecasts, obtaining this an environment challenging as the morphology a city varies from street street, altering flow. Remote sensing techniques such Doppler lidars (light detection ranging) provide unique opportunity forecast verification they can both vertical profile horizontal spatial variation domain at high resolution. In study, performance numerical weather prediction (NWP) models, analysis systems, large-eddy simulation (LES) models have been analysed by comparing modelled winds against lidar observations under various atmospheric conditions season season, coastal Helsinki, Finland. The long-term mean shows good agreement with observations; NWP model systems selected here exhibit different strengths weaknesses depending on but no significant diurnal performance. However, show differences their spatially-averaged bias when investigating directions. LES that these potentially down level, given pre-computed scenarios conditions. For observed are stronger during winter than summer, and, average, higher speeds were site sub-urban site.