Home
| | Home | | My BADC | | Data | | Search | | Community | | Help | |
 | Get Data | Access Rules | Submit Data | Dataset Index |  |
ECMWF Operational data is available under the BADC Data Extractor.
IntroductionThe European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is an international organisation supported by 22 European States that produces global weather analyses and forecasts for up to 10 days into the future. The BADC archives two types of data obtained from the ECMWF, Operational and Re-analysis data (the ERA-15 and ERA-40 projects). On a case-by-case basis, the BADC can also supply near real-time analyses and forecasts to specific research projects.
The Operational data (1 March 1994 - present) consists of the ongoing analyses and forecasts produced by the most recent ECMWF Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) model. The IFS is regularly updated as improvements are made to the model, computing facilities and observations used in data assimilation (see the Changes to the ECMWF Operational Forecasting System page for more details).
By agreement with the ECMWF the BADC does not make Operational data available until 10 days after the forecast has been produced. To ensure consistency with the ERA-15 project (1979 - 1994) the BADC archives Operational data from March 1994 to the present. The BADC also archives a version of the dataset consistent with the ERA-40 project from 2002 onwards. The ECMWF calculate fields using a spectral model that is regularly updated in resolution. The BADC archives the spectral T106 resolution from 1994 to 2000 on model levels with surface fields held on an N80 Gaussian grid. From 2002 onwards, the data is available in the spectral T159 and N80 Reduced Gaussian grid resolution identical to the ERA-40 project.
The data is also available on two regular latitude-longitude grids. The 2.5° x 2.5° grid is stored on pressure levels from 1 March 1994 to present and the higher resolution 1.125° x 1.125° grid is stored on model levels from 1 January 2000 - present. The regular 2.5° x 2.5° gridded data also includes surface monthly means and pressure level monthly means.
The parameters vary with the type of grid and level on which they are stored. The parameters page lists all the available variables for each grid type, level type and time period.
Please also read the ECMWF pages on Data deficiencies in the operational archive.
The BADC has recently extracted Seasonal Forecasts (Hindcasts) from 1987 to the present day. These are available to all registered ECMWF Operational users.
A status page is maintained to document changes to the Operational archive.
Restricted dataThe ECMWF datasets are for bona fide research purposes only and
access is therefore restricted.
The BADC can only distribute the data to academic users within the UK on a per person per project basis (i.e. all members on a same project who will be using the data must individually apply for access to the data).
For this reason, we do not make
the data available to anonymous users through these web pages.
In order to gain access to the data and accompanying software, please apply for access to ECMWF Operational analysis data . The application form includes the Met Office agreement and ECMWF Operational analysis agreement, to be returned to the BADC. You will then be given access to the data via the Browse Archive pages of the BADC web-interface and from an account on the BADC computer (allowing FTP access to the data).
Note: German users may be able to access the data from the BADC under a reciprocal agreement with the Max-Planck Institute for Meteorology (MPI-M). German users will need to register with the MPI-M using this form which should be faxed to Model & Data, on +49-40-41173-400. Then apply for access through the BADC.
Under this reciprocal agreement, registered BADC users who are authorised to access the ECMWF Operational analysis data held at the BADC, may gain access to the ECMWF products held at MPI-M. Please contact data@dkrz.de for details.
Users from other countries may be able to access these data through their own national meteorological organisation.
Data
AccessThe datasets are held at the BADC in their original GRIB format.
GrADS/GRIB interface descriptor files (control file (*.ctl) and gribmap file (*.idx)) are also located in the archive for users who wish to download these alongside the GRIB data. (Note that these descriptor files may not be available for all the data in this dataset.)
The data can be accessed via FTP or via our web-interface.
The ECMWF now provides its own GRIB decoding software (GRIBEX) free from the ECMWF software pages. Documentation on other external software packages that can read GRIB.
Registered users can now access parts of this dataset via the BADC Data Extractor. See the Data Extractor web page for more details.
An ECMWF picture gallery is available to view some sample data.
DocumentationWhen you register to use the ECMWF Operational data we will tell you where to find the ECMWF documentation made available at the BADC. Registered users can also receive e-mail reports giving the latest status of the archived data and other services. More details about the Operational data sets held at the BADC are available on the following topics:
Technical detail about level and grid types is also available via the ECMWF Technical site map.
The ECMWF web site provides detailed technical documentation about the Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) used to generate the data sets held at the BADC. The documentation is sub-divided into six sections accessible via the links below or as .pdf files (which require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view):
An ECMWF document entitled The description of the evolution of the ECMWF forecasting system and corresponding archive (published November 1999) is also available in .pdf format.
Deficiencies in the operational data are documented on the ECMWF web pages.
Links and References.We maintain a set of links to ECMWF-related information on WWW, including the ECMWF home page.
The BADC holds other ECMWF datasets: ECMWF Re-Analyses (ERA-15 and ERA-40) and ECMWF trajectory data.
A list of references is also available.
Citation
Who to contactIf you would like to know more about ECMWF Operational data and how to obtain it from the BADC, you should contact us via the BADC support line.
 | Home | Contact | Disclaimer | Last Modified:
|  |