Sensitivity study of the South China Sea summer monsoon in 1998 to different cumulus parameterization schemes

In this study, the improved high-resolution regional climate model of the China National Climate Center (RegCM_NCC) is used to examine the sensitivity of the simulated circulation and rainfall during the South China Sea summer monsoon (SCSSM) period during 1998 in an effort to compare to other cumulus parameterization schemes. The investigation has indicated that the model is capable of simulating the seasonal march of the SCSSM and that the results were very sensitive to the choice of cumulus parameterization schemes. It seems that the Kuo cumulus parameterization scheme simulates the process of the SCSSM onset reasonably well, which can reproduce the onset timing and dramatic changes before and after the onset, especially the upper- and lower-level wind-fields. However, there are still some discrepancies between the simulations and observations. For example, the model can not completely simulate the intensity of the rainfall or the location of the western Pacific subtropical high as well as the feature of the rapid northward propagation of seasonal rain belt.