Advances in Urban Meteorological Research in China

Over the past decades, a large number of studies have been carried out in the field of urban meteorology in China. This paper summarizes the main progress in urban meteorology research from four aspects: urban meteorological observation network and field campaign, multi-scale model of urban meteorology, interaction between urban meteorology and atmospheric environment, and the impacts of urbanization on weather and climate. Major advances are as follows. China’s major cities have established or are improving comprehensive urban meteorological observation networks characterized by multi-platform, multi-variable, multi-scale, multi-link, and multi-function. Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, and other cities carried out urban meteorological field campaigns, which were included in the WMO research demonstration project. Wind tunnel experiments and scale-model outdoor experiments were successfully conducted. Multi-scale urban meteorological and air quality prediction numerical model systems have been developed and put into operational use. The urban heat island effect; urban impacts on precipitation, regional climate, and air quality; urban planning; and interaction between urban meteorology and atmospheric environment are extensively investigated. Finally, efforts to improve observational technology, data assimilation, and urban system modeling, to explore the impacts of urbanization on environment and human health, and to provide integrated urban hydro-meteorological climate and environmental services are planned ahead.