Grid 1:
200 x 150 points horizontally (45km spacing)
42 points vertically (200m stretched to 900m spacing)
Grid 2:
142 x 142 points horizontally (4km spacing)
42 points vertically (200m stretched to 900m spacing)
Physics:
Outer grid (beyond 1,250km of TC center) nudged toward GFS on hourly timescale
RRTMG_SW and RRTMG_LW radiation
NOAH Land-Surface Model
Modified Andreas Sea-Spray parameterization
2-moment microphysics (cloud ice), 1-moment microphysics (rain, snow)
Ocean coupling (1.5-layer model with Dynamic Instability Turbulence Closure)
Initialization / Boundary Conditions:
GFS 1 degree analysis (atmosphere) and forecasts (lateral BC)
FNMOC GHRSST 9-km SST analysis
Levitus 1/4 degree climatology (subsurface ocean thermal structure)
Modified rankine bogus vortex with a spinup period during which the model perturbation temperature is relaxed toward that of a likewise idealized vortex whose intensity matches that of the NHC analyses over a 12-hour window.