Evaluating mesoscale model predictions of diurnal speedup events in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area of California

Arthur, Robert S.; Rybchuk, Alex; Juliano, Timothy W.; Rios, Gabriel; Wharton, Sonia; Lundquist, Julie K.; Fast, Jerome D.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-10-1187-2025

Articles | Volume 10, issue 7

https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-10-1187-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/wes-10-1187-2025

© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 10, issue 7

Research article

|

02 Jul 2025

Research article |

| 02 Jul 2025

Evaluating mesoscale model predictions of diurnal speedup events in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area of California

Robert S. Arthur, Alex Rybchuk, Timothy W. Juliano, Gabriel Rios, Sonia Wharton, Julie K. Lundquist, and Jerome D. Fast

Data sets

WFIP2 - Hill Flows Study (HilFlowS) Sonia Wharton https://a2e.energy.gov/project/wfip2-hilflows

MesoWest data Synoptic https://developers.synopticdata.com/mesonet

WRF configuration files Robert S. Arthur https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13871641

OpenFAST Turbine Models National Renewable Energy Laboratory https://github.com/NREL/openfast-turbine-models/tree/main/IEA-scaled

Bonus B54/1000 wind-turbine-models.com https://en.wind-turbine-models.com/turbines/697-bonus-b54-1000

Vestas V47 wind-turbine-models.com https://en.wind-turbine-models.com/turbines/13-vestas-v47

wfip2-hilflows/met.z01.a0 Atmosphere to Electrons https://doi.org/10.21947/1571454

wfip2-hilflows/lidar.z02.a0 Atmosphere to Electrons https://doi.org/10.21947/1571453

wfip2-hilflows/lidar.z03.a0 Atmosphere to Electrons https://doi.org/10.21947/1571455

Model code and software

Fork of WRF model with 3D PBL-WFP scheme Timothy W. Juliano https://github.com/twjuliano/WRF/tree/develop_3dpbl_on_top

Code for: Evaluating mesoscale model predictions of diurnal speedup events in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area of California T. W. Juliano and R. S. Arthur https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15724252

Short summary

This paper evaluates a new model configuration for wind energy forecasting in complex terrain. We compare model results to observations in the Altamont Pass (California, USA), where wind channeling through a mountain gap leads to increased energy production. We demonstrate that the new model configuration performs similarly to a more established approach, with some evidence of improved wind speed predictions, and provide guidance for future model testing.