Numerical simulations with the WRF model of water vapour vertical profiles: A comparison with LIDAR and radiosounding measurements

Numerical simulations with the Advanced Research-Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF-ARW) have been performed in order to simulate water vapor mixing ratio (WVMR) vertical profiles over southeastern Italy. An optimal setup of the model has been identified changing the default model land cover database and using a fine model vertical resolution in the lower levels. Among different tests, the selected implementation is the one that best reproduced the experimental WVMR profiles retrieved from the Brindisi radiosounding station and the ground-based Raman lidar measurements at Lecce site.