A strategy to compare high resolution weather forecast models with Radiative-Convective equilibrium convection: theory

Given the new parametrization adopted at ECMWF (European Center for Medium Weather Forecasts - Shinfield Park Reading U.K.) with a closure based on a quasi-equilibrium assumption for convective motions, a strategy can be adopted to compare high resolution non-hydrostatic models either with explicit convection or different convective parametrization. In fact the ECMWF forecasts with the NEW convective parametrization are distributing the moist energy to the convective activity with different mechanisms arising from the sensitivity of the moist energy to surface and boundary layer processes that act to differentiate their adjustment time scale. The effect of using different initial surface condition to start and to trigger convection, can be compared in real cases where surface and boundary layer conditions seem to be the main trigger of convective events. One outcome of this is how the equilibrium and non-equilibrium condition could be imposed in numerical weather prediction models (NWP) that have different parametrization and if this can help to forecasts better deep convective events.