Review of WRF for weather and climate change over the Tibetan Plateau

The state-of-the-art Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF) is an indispensable tool for studying weather and climate change; however, its application over the Tibetan Plateau—a region characterized by high altitude and complex topography—remains particularly challenging. This review synthesizes fragmented findings from WRF simulations on the Tibetan Plateau, with a focus on model evaluation and improvement, precipitation process simulation, and climate simulation and projection. It further discusses the limitations of existing knowledge and outlines prospects for future research. Due to the inability to accurately resolve the microphysical processes, terrain lifting and blocking of moisture, WRF exhibits substantial wet biases. Furthermore, an overestimation of snow leads to pronounced cold biases. These systematic errors consequently introduce considerable uncertainties into climate projections. It is advisable to utilize high-resolution WRF or Convection-Permitting Modeling in conjunction with turbulence orographic form drag parameterization across the Tibetan Plateau. Parameterization improvement/localized optimization and satellite data assimilation are crucial steps in reducing the model's cold and wet biases. However, due to the scarcity of observational data, efforts to enhance parameterization and the capabilities of WRF data assimilation have been relatively constrained. This review provides critical insights into regional climate change and serves as a valuable reference for future model applications in high-altitude regions.