Sensitivity of Arctic mixed-phase cloud simulations to ice microphysical modifications in the WDM6 scheme of WRF (v4.3.1)

Abstract. Arctic mixed-phase clouds (MPCs) remain challenging to represent in atmospheric models, with bulk microphysics schemes typically biased toward either excessive glaciation or inadequate ice formation. This study evaluates the behavior of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Double-Moment 6-class (WDM6) scheme and its modified version (WDM6_ICE), which incorporates spherical ice shape, constrained nucleation, and prognostic cloud ice number concentration, under Arctic conditions using the Mixed-Phase Arctic Cloud Experiment case (9–10 October 2004).