Application of WRF-Chem Model to Simulate PM10 Concentration over Bogota

Abstract

The online meteorological and chemical transport Weather Research and Forecasting with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) model is implemented over Bogota and validated against ground-based observations for meteorological variables and PM10 concentrations. The simulated average temperature shows a very small positive bias. The relative humidity and wind speed are also overpredicted for the selected simulations. The 24-h average PM10 concentration is underpredicted compared to the overall ground observations. Overall, the present case study shows that the WRF-Chem model has an acceptable performance for meteorological variables as well as PM10 concentration over Bogota. This study provides a general overview of WRF-Chem simulations and can serve as a reference for future air quality modelling exercises for PM10 over Bogota.