Abstract: By using several planetary boundary layer schemes (Mellor-Yamada-Janjic; quasi-normal scale elimination; Yonsei University; asymmetric convective, version 2; Bougeault-Lacarrere (Boulac); Mellor-Yamada-Nakanishi- Niino, level 2.5; and Mellor-Yamada-Nakanishi-Niino, level 3) in a Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) numerical model, seven sets of model simulations for three rainstorm cases in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River were performed. This paper thoroughly analyzes and compares the simulation ability of seven planetary boundary layer parameterizations with respect to the distribution of 24-hour total rainfall, boundary layer structure in the rainstorm area, fundamental fields of meteorological elements, and statistical test results for total rainfall. A comparison of the simulations and the observations indicated that the quasi-normal scale elimination planetary boundary layer scheme is superior to the other six.