The WRF model tar file has been updated to Version 3.0.1 on August 6, 2008.

WRF Version 3.0.1 new features, updates and bug fixes

WRF-NMM specific updates

• Corrected some automatic spline fitting parameters when computing layer interface values in NMM's initialization.
• Corrected initialization of topography values for simulations with less than 10 vertical levels.
• Modified code to allow NMM to compile serially when nesting is invoked.
• Fixed bug to allow restarts, however, the model can only be restarted at times that coincide with those at which the boundary tendencies change. (i.e. if the wrfbdy file was created with boundary data updated every N hours, then NMM can be restarted at N, 2N, 3N... hours only.

General updates

Phyiscs:

• PBL, Surface layer and LSM physics
• Tropical storm moisture flux formulation (isftcflx = 1) is updated to NCAR 2007 formulation: moisture flux is enhanced at higher wind speed.
• ACM2 PBL: minor update.
• PX LSM: stop when landuse categories are not the standard USGS 24.
• Noah LSM and MM5 surface layer option: use lowest model level pressure for saturation mixing ratio calculation instead of surface pressure.
• Noah LSM: prevent undefined flux value.
• PBL cloud tendencies corrected for 1) MYJ PBL + non-Ferrier; 2) ACM2 + Ferrier.
• 1-D ocean mixed layer: correct feedback from ocean variables.

• Microphysics
• Morrison scheme: some defaults change. Problem with OpenMP resolved.
• Goddard scheme: OpenMP issue resolved. Minor fixes.
• WSM schemes: use cpv instead cv in latent heating term. Small effect.
• Lin scheme: correct graupel ventilation factor, an error introduced in V3, which caused over-prediction of cloud ice and graupel.

• Cumulus schemes
• Grell-3: index correction. Still not working with OpenMP. Fix for optional use of closures (non-default).
• GD: Fix for optional use of closures (non-default). Not yet working with OpenMP.

• Atmospheric Radiation
• CAM radiation: aerosols initialized with non-zero value; correct time-interpolation of monthly ozone data; fix accumulated radiative flux diagnostics (not turned on).

Namelist.input:

• Updated the default namelist.input in test/nmm_real to show an example with multiple columns for nests.

Software:

• netcdf large file support can be set prior to configure and compile as an environment variable:
  
  setenv WRFIO_NCD_LARGE_FILE_SUPPORT 1
  
  
• netcdf and pnetcdf can now be compiled together.
• new way to run 'configure' without setting environment variables. For example, instead of using 'setenv WRF_NMM_CORE 1' and './configure', now one can do './configure nmm.
• Issues with using older versions of IBM's XLF compiler (need to use -qsuffix=f=f90) are resolved.
• NEC SX port.
• grib2 code can now be compiled on IBMs.
• update to ESMF 3.1.0r.
• Fix the problem with long argument lists that are non-standard Fortran and causing compile failure with some old compilers.