Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 2018, 6, 36-54 http://www.scirp.org/journal/gep ISSN Online: 2327-4344 ISSN Print: 2327-4336 DOI: 10.4236/gep.2018.61003 Jan. 17, 2018 36 Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection Assessing Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model Parameterization Schemes Skill to Simulate Extreme Rainfall Events over Dar es Salaam on 21 December 2011 Triphonia Jacob Ngailo 1* , Nyimvua Shaban 1 , Joachim Reuder 2 , Michel D. S. Mesquita 3 , Edwin Rutalebwa 4 , Isaac Mugume 5 , Chiku Sangalungembe 6 1 Department of Mathematics, University of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 2 Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway 3 Uni Research Climate, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Studies, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway 4 General studies Department, Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 5 Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Climate Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda 6 Modelling Section, Tanzania Meteorological Agency, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Abstract This paper evaluates the skills of physical Parameterization schemes in simu- lating extreme rainfall events over Dar es Salaam Region, Tanzania using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The model skill is deter- mined during the 21 December 2011 flooding event. Ten sensitivity experi- ments have been conducted using Cumulus, Convective and Planetary boun- dary layer schemes to find the best combination and optimize the WRF model for the study area for heavy rainfall events. Model simulation results were ve- rified against observed data using standard statistical tests. The model simula- tions show encouraging and better statistical results with the combination of Kain-Fritsch cumulus parameterization scheme, Lin microphysics scheme and Asymmetric Convection Model 2 (ACM2) planetary boundary scheme than any other combinations of physical parameterization schemes over Dar es Sa- laam region. Keywords WRF, Dar es Salaam, Extreme Rainfall Events, Physical Parameterization Schemes How to cite this paper: Ngailo, T.J., Sha- ban, N., Reuder, J., Mesquita, M.D.S., Ru- talebwa, E., Mugume, I. and Sangalun- gembe, C. (2018) Assessing Weather Re- search and Forecasting (WRF) Model Pa- rameterization Schemes Skill to Simulate Extreme Rainfall Events over Dar es Salaam on 21 December 2011. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 6, 36-54. https://doi.org/10.4236/gep.2018.61003 Received: October 16, 2017 Accepted: January 14, 2018 Published: January 17, 2018 Copyright © 2018 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY 4.0). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Open Access