diff --git a/src/core_atmosphere/Registry.xml b/src/core_atmosphere/Registry.xml
index 425e0349d1..2e0c1770cd 100644
--- a/src/core_atmosphere/Registry.xml
+++ b/src/core_atmosphere/Registry.xml
@@ -2905,7 +2905,7 @@
                      packages="sfclayer"/>
 
                 <var name="qsfc" type="real"  dimensions="nCells Time" units="kg kg^{-1}"
-                     description="specific humidity at lower boundary"
+                     description="mixing ratio at lower boundary"
                      packages="sfclayer"/>
 
                 <var name="ust" type="real" dimensions="nCells Time" units="m s^{-1}"
@@ -3033,7 +3033,7 @@
                      description="10-meter meridional wind"/>
 
                 <var name="q2" type="real" dimensions="nCells Time" packages="sfclayer" units="kg kg^{-1}"
-                     description="2-meter specific humidity"/>
+                     description="2-meter water vapor mixing ratio"/>
 
                 <var name="t2m" type="real" dimensions="nCells Time" packages="sfclayer" units="K"
                      description="2-meter temperature"/>
diff --git a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/mpas_atmphys_vars.F b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/mpas_atmphys_vars.F
index 134009f537..9b545e267e 100644
--- a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/mpas_atmphys_vars.F
+++ b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/mpas_atmphys_vars.F
@@ -574,10 +574,10 @@ module mpas_atmphys_vars
     pblh_p,           &!PBL height                                                                             [m]
     psih_p,           &!similarity theory for heat                                                             [-]
     psim_p,           &!similarity theory for momentum                                                         [-]
-    q2_p,             &!specific humidity at 2m                                                            [kg/kg]
+    q2_p,             &!water vapor mixing ratio at 2m                                                         [kg/kg]
     qfx_p,            &!upward moisture flux at the surface                                              [kg/m2/s]
-    qgh_p,            &!
-    qsfc_p,           &!specific humidity at lower boundary                                                [kg/kg]
+    qgh_p,            &!lowest level saturation mixing ratio                                                   [kg/kg]
+    qsfc_p,           &!mixing ratio at lower boundary                                                         [kg/kg]
     regime_p,         &!flag indicating PBL regime (stable_p,unstable_p,etc...)                                [-]
     rmol_p,           &!1 / Monin Ob length                                                                    [-]
     t2m_p,            &!temperature at 2m                                                                      [K]
diff --git a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/EnergyVarInTransferMod.F90 b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/EnergyVarInTransferMod.F90
index f0a96a5795..e1ee310989 100644
--- a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/EnergyVarInTransferMod.F90
+++ b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/EnergyVarInTransferMod.F90
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ subroutine EnergyVarInTransfer(noahmp, NoahmpIO)
     ! energy state variables
     noahmp%energy%state%LeafAreaIndex                             = NoahmpIO%LAI     (I)
     noahmp%energy%state%StemAreaIndex                             = NoahmpIO%XSAIXY  (I)
-    noahmp%energy%state%SpecHumiditySfcMean                       = NoahmpIO%QSFC    (I)
+    noahmp%energy%state%SpecHumiditySfcMean                       = NoahmpIO%QSFC    (I) / (1.0+NoahmpIO%QSFC(I)) 
     noahmp%energy%state%TemperatureGrd                            = NoahmpIO%TGXY    (I)
     noahmp%energy%state%TemperatureCanopy                         = NoahmpIO%TVXY    (I)
     noahmp%energy%state%SnowAgeNondim                             = NoahmpIO%TAUSSXY (I)
diff --git a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/EnergyVarOutTransferMod.F90 b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/EnergyVarOutTransferMod.F90
index a150bf9b6e..75a6661812 100644
--- a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/EnergyVarOutTransferMod.F90
+++ b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/EnergyVarOutTransferMod.F90
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ subroutine EnergyVarOutTransfer(noahmp, NoahmpIO)
     ! energy state variables
     NoahmpIO%TSK     (I) = noahmp%energy%state%TemperatureRadSfc
     NoahmpIO%EMISS   (I) = noahmp%energy%state%EmissivitySfc
-    NoahmpIO%QSFC    (I) = noahmp%energy%state%SpecHumiditySfcMean
+    NoahmpIO%QSFC    (I) = noahmp%energy%state%SpecHumiditySfcMean/(1.0-noahmp%energy%state%SpecHumiditySfcMean)
     NoahmpIO%TVXY    (I) = noahmp%energy%state%TemperatureCanopy
     NoahmpIO%TGXY    (I) = noahmp%energy%state%TemperatureGrd
     NoahmpIO%EAHXY   (I) = noahmp%energy%state%PressureVaporCanAir
diff --git a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/NoahmpIOVarFinalizeMod.F90 b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/NoahmpIOVarFinalizeMod.F90
index 66458d638e..d3c275c1be 100644
--- a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/NoahmpIOVarFinalizeMod.F90
+++ b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/NoahmpIOVarFinalizeMod.F90
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ subroutine NoahmpIOVarFinalizeDefault(NoahmpIO)
     if ( allocated (NoahmpIO%acsnom)   ) deallocate ( NoahmpIO%acsnom               ) ! accumulated snow melt leaving pack
     if ( allocated (NoahmpIO%acsnow)   ) deallocate ( NoahmpIO%acsnow               ) ! accumulated snow on grid
     if ( allocated (NoahmpIO%emiss)    ) deallocate ( NoahmpIO%emiss                ) ! surface bulk emissivity
-    if ( allocated (NoahmpIO%qsfc)     ) deallocate ( NoahmpIO%qsfc                 ) ! bulk surface specific humidity
+    if ( allocated (NoahmpIO%qsfc)     ) deallocate ( NoahmpIO%qsfc                 ) ! bulk surface mixing ratio
     if ( allocated (NoahmpIO%smoiseq)  ) deallocate ( NoahmpIO%smoiseq              ) ! equilibrium volumetric soil moisture [m3/m3]
     if ( allocated (NoahmpIO%smois)    ) deallocate ( NoahmpIO%smois                ) ! volumetric soil moisture [m3/m3]
     if ( allocated (NoahmpIO%sh2o)     ) deallocate ( NoahmpIO%sh2o                 ) ! volumetric liquid soil moisture [m3/m3]
diff --git a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/NoahmpIOVarInitMod.F90 b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/NoahmpIOVarInitMod.F90
index 4f3c3f4f2c..2eeea6dede 100644
--- a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/NoahmpIOVarInitMod.F90
+++ b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/NoahmpIOVarInitMod.F90
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ subroutine NoahmpIOVarInitDefault(NoahmpIO)
     if ( .not. allocated (NoahmpIO%acsnom)   ) allocate ( NoahmpIO%acsnom    (its:ite        )            ) ! accumulated snow melt leaving pack
     if ( .not. allocated (NoahmpIO%acsnow)   ) allocate ( NoahmpIO%acsnow    (its:ite        )            ) ! accumulated snow on grid
     if ( .not. allocated (NoahmpIO%emiss)    ) allocate ( NoahmpIO%emiss     (its:ite        )            ) ! surface bulk emissivity
-    if ( .not. allocated (NoahmpIO%qsfc)     ) allocate ( NoahmpIO%qsfc      (its:ite        )            ) ! bulk surface specific humidity
+    if ( .not. allocated (NoahmpIO%qsfc)     ) allocate ( NoahmpIO%qsfc      (its:ite        )            ) ! bulk surface mixing ratio
     if ( .not. allocated (NoahmpIO%smoiseq)  ) allocate ( NoahmpIO%smoiseq   (its:ite,1:nsoil)            ) ! equilibrium volumetric soil moisture [m3/m3]
     if ( .not. allocated (NoahmpIO%smois)    ) allocate ( NoahmpIO%smois     (its:ite,1:nsoil)            ) ! volumetric soil moisture [m3/m3]
     if ( .not. allocated (NoahmpIO%sh2o)     ) allocate ( NoahmpIO%sh2o      (its:ite,1:nsoil)            ) ! volumetric liquid soil moisture [m3/m3]
diff --git a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/NoahmpIOVarType.F90 b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/NoahmpIOVarType.F90
index 05a29d7035..7bb5327a63 100644
--- a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/NoahmpIOVarType.F90
+++ b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/physics_noahmp/drivers/mpas/NoahmpIOVarType.F90
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ module NoahmpIOVarType
     real(kind=kind_noahmp), allocatable, dimension(:)      ::  acsnom              ! accumulated snow melt leaving pack
     real(kind=kind_noahmp), allocatable, dimension(:)      ::  acsnow              ! accumulated snow on grid
     real(kind=kind_noahmp), allocatable, dimension(:)      ::  emiss               ! surface bulk emissivity
-    real(kind=kind_noahmp), allocatable, dimension(:)      ::  qsfc                ! bulk surface specific humidity
+    real(kind=kind_noahmp), allocatable, dimension(:)      ::  qsfc                ! bulk surface mixing ratio
 
     ! INOUT (with no Noah LSM equivalent) (as defined in WRF)
     integer, allocatable, dimension(:)                     ::  isnowxy             ! actual no. of snow layers
diff --git a/src/core_init_atmosphere/Registry.xml b/src/core_init_atmosphere/Registry.xml
index 160774e61c..039a668c00 100644
--- a/src/core_init_atmosphere/Registry.xml
+++ b/src/core_init_atmosphere/Registry.xml
@@ -1381,7 +1381,7 @@
                      packages="met_stage_out"/>
 
                 <var name="q2" type="real" dimensions="nCells Time" units="kg kg^{-1}"
-                     description="2-meter specific humidity"
+                     description="2-meter water vapor mixing ratio"
                      packages="met_stage_out"/>
 
                 <var name="rh2" type="real" dimensions="nCells Time" units="percent"