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Note: HRES and Ensemble Control Forecast (ex-HRES) are scientifically, structurally and computationally identical.  With effect from Cy49r1, Ensemble Control Forecast (ex-HRES) output is equivalent to HRES output where shown in the diagrams.   At the time of the diagrams, HRES had resolution of 9km and ensemble members had a resolution of 18km.

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Vertical profiles window supplements the tools already available (Probe, Time-series, Cities, EPSgram) on ecCharts and elsewhere.  It provides information about the vertical structure of the forecast model atmosphere for any location (as selected by the Probe Tool) and any time (as selected by the Time Navigator).  Currently validity times are limited to 6 hour steps up to T+120.

There are 137 model levels for medium range ensemble members and the ensemble control.  Every model level is used in the lower troposphere up to about 700mb, and only every other level higher up.

Fig8.1.8-1: To display Vertical Profile.

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• The vertical structure of temperature (red) and moisture (dewpoint, green) in tephigram format, and also dewpoint depression (blue).  Shaded bands denote for the ensemble the minimum, 25th and 75th percentiles and maximum for each of temperature, dewpoint and dewpoint depression distributions at each level, with the median value shown by a thin solid line.  This display strategy mirrors the use of box-and-whisker plots on meteograms.  A thick solid line represents Ensemble Control Forecast (ex-HRES) (as on meteogram products).
  
  • Dewpoint depressions are first computed from each ensemble member output at each level, and then the spread and median are derived in the same way as for temperatures and dewpoint.  So maximum dewpoint depression shown is not derived from the highest temperature on any ensemble member and the lowest dewpoint on any ensemble member at that level.
  • Wind arrows from Ensemble Control Forecast (ex-HRES) standard level output are shown on the dewpoint depression diagram (5m/s per full barb).  This plotting position was chosen for convenience, and not because of any direct or implied relationship with the dewpoint depression information itself.
  • Note that whilst the Ensemble Control Forecast (ex-HRES) traces for each thermal variable all represent plausible solutions, the same cannot be said for the median traces because they will very probably comprise data from different runs at different levels.

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Fig8.1.8-2: An example of ecCharts vertical profile output.  Note: The diagram is output from Cy48r when the resolution of HRES (~9km) differed from the resolution of medium range ensemble (~18km) and so HRES and ensemble control differ.  With effect from Cy49r1, HRES and Ensemble Control Forecast (ex-HRES) are scientifically, structurally and computationally identical and their results are a single trace on the vertical profile.

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Note: The diagram is output from Cy48r when the resolution of HRES (~9km) differed from the resolution of medium range ensemble (~18km) and so HRES and ensemble control differ.  With effect from Cy49r1, HRES and Ensemble Control Forecast (ex-HRES) are scientifically, structurally and computationally identical and their results are a single trace on the vertical profile.

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• The vertical structure of winds (m/s) is shown by a wind hodograph that uses one line for each ensemble member and one colour for each of a range of levels (warmer colours for low levels and colder ones for upper levels).  Only data from standard pressure levels are shown.  The radial wind speed scale varies to span the value range represented, with certain values (20, 50, 100 m/s) highlighted to aid quick interpretation.  A solid line shows Ensemble Control Forecast (ex-HRES).  This should be identical to the winds on the dewpoint depression plot).
• To avoid plot clutter:
  • the Ensemble Control Forecast (ex-HRES) run is shown in the same way as the other ensemble members.
  • the ensemble median is not shown separately.

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Read more information on “Using ECMWF's new ensemble vertical profiles”.

See summer 2018 ECMWF Newsletter article Read about the vertical profile product (P39-44).IFS model levels for: HRES, ENS (137). Note: every model level is used in the lower troposphere up to about 700mb, and only every other level higher up.

(FUG Associated with Cy49r1)

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