NAM AIR QUALITY DIAGNOSTIC DISCUSSION NWS HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER CAMP SPRINGS MD 1004 AM EDT TUE AUG 09 2011 *** The following information pertains to initialization errors noted on the 12Z NAM that may negatively impact the performance of the 12Z CMAQ output as used for air quality forecasting. Specifically, errors that apply to temperature, winds, relative humidity and precipitation are included. This discussion only applies to geographical regions of the CONUS where air quality is currently forecast to be degraded (i.e. CODES: YELLOW/ORANGE/RED/PURPLE/MAROON). *** ...INTERIOR VALLEYS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA... ...DESERT SOUTHWEST... THE NAM INITIALIZED AS MUCH AS 10-15 DEGREES TOO COOL NEAR THE MOUNTAINS...AS A RESULT OF TERRAIN RESOLUTION. ...NORTHERN WASATCH FRONT... THE NAM INITIALIZED 10-15 KNOTS TOO LIGHT WITH THE SURFACE WINDS OVER THE REGION. ...CENTRAL OHIO VALLEY... ...MID ATLANTIC STATES... ...CAROLINAS... NO SIGNIFICANT MODEL INITIALIZATION ERRORS WERE NOTED OVER THESE REGIONS. CISCO 1