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to be peer reviewed by: Paul approved by CUS team leader: 2018-05-01 |
This article applies to the ERA5 sub-daily datasets:
- ERA5 high resolution (HRES), sub-daily data (streams oper/wave)
- ERA5 ensemble (EDA), sub-daily data (streams enda/ewda).
This article does not apply to other ERA5 streams, for example monthly data. See what streams are available(ERA5 data documentation, section 'Data organisation').
See also: What is ERA5
Analysis and forecast
In ERA5 two types of data are available, 'analysis' and 'forecast':
- An analysis, of the atmospheric conditions, is a blend of observations with a previous forecast. An analysis can only provide instantaneous parameters (parameters valid at a specific time, e.g temperature at 12:00), but not accumulated parameters, mean rates or min/max parameters.
- A forecast starts with an analysis at a specific time (the 'initialization time'), and a model computes the atmospheric conditions for a number of 'forecast steps', at increasing 'validity times', into the future. A forecast can provide instantaneous parameters, accumulated parameters, mean rates, and min/max parameters.
To see which parameters are available as analysis (an) and/or forecasts (fc) see the ERA5 documentation, section 'Parameter listings'
Instantaneous, accumulated, mean rate and min/max parameters
Each parameter
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to be peer reviewed by: Paul Berrisford, 2018-07-24 approved by CUS team leader: 2018-05-01 |
This article applies to the ERA5 sub-daily datasets:
- ERA5 high resolution (HRES), containing
- sub-daily atmospheric data (stream oper)
- sub-daily ocean wave data (stream wave)
- ERA5 ensemble (EDA), containing
- sub-daily atmospheric data (stream enda)
- sub-daily ocean wave data (stream ewda)
This article does not apply to ERA5 monthly data. What streams are available? (Section 'Data organisation').
Before continuing with this article you might want to read:
Analysis and forecast
If you access ERA5 data in the C3S Climate Data Store (CDS), you will not see the concept of type 'analysis' and 'forecast'. However, behind the scene, ERA5 data archive has two types of data available, 'analysis' (an) and 'forecast' (fc). This article will help you understand the differences between these two types.
- An analysis, of the atmospheric conditions, is a blend of observations with a previous forecast. An analysis can only provide instantaneous parameters (parameters valid at a specific time, e.g temperature at 12:00), but not accumulated parameters, mean rates or min/max parameters.
- A forecast starts with an analysis at a specific time (the 'initialization time'), and a model computes the atmospheric conditions for a number of 'forecast steps', at increasing 'validity times', into the future. A forecast can provide instantaneous parameters, accumulated parameters, mean rates, and min/max parameters.
To see which parameters are available as analysis (an) and/or forecasts (fc) see ERA5: data documentation, section 'Parameter listings'.
Instantaneous, accumulated, mean rate and min/max parameters
Each parameter is classed as either 'instantaneous', 'accumulated', 'mean rate' or 'min/max', depending on the temporal properties of the parameter:
- Instantaneous parameters refer to a specific point in time , for example temperature at 12:00. For a list of available surface and single level instantaneous parameters see
- ERA5: data documentation, Table 2.
- Accumulated parameters are accumulations during a particular time period, for example precipitation between 17:00 and 18:00. For a list of available accumulated parameters see
- ERA5: data documentation, Table 3.
- Mean rate parameters are
- temporally averaged rates over a particular time period, for example the mean snowfall rate
- between 17:00 and 18:00. For a list of available mean rate parameters see
- ERA5: data documentation, Table 4.
- Min/max parameters are the minimum or maximum 'instantaneous' value within a particular time period, for example minimum temperature between 17:00 and 18:00. For a list of available min/max parameters see
- ERA5: data documentation, Table 5.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Continue review here ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Time and Step
'time' in analyses
In ERA5 a new analysis is computed for each full hour. Hence analyses are available for validity 'time' 00:00, 01:00, ... , 23:00.
All validity times are UTC.
The concept of 'step' does not apply to analyses.
The analysis only provides instantaneous parameters (parameters valid at a specific validity time, e.g temperature at 12:00), it does not provide accumulated parameters, mean rates or min/max parameters.
'time' and 'step' in forecasts
In ERA5 a new forecast is initialized every day at 06:00 and 18:00 UTC. The forecast computes the future atmospheric conditions internally in 30-minute 'model time steps', but the data are only archived hourly:
THIS IS MISLEADING AND CONFUSING. THE INSTANTANEOUS PARAMETERS ONLY CONTAIN INFORMATION FROM THE LAST MODEL STEP IN EACH FORECAST STEP.
Forecast steps and instantaneous, accumulated and min/max parameters
- data for instantaneous parameters is valid at the end of the step, i.e. at t + s. For example, temperature from the forecast at time t=06:00, step s=1, represents the temperature at 06:00 + 1, i.e. at 07:00.
- data for accumulated parameters is aggregated up to the end of the respective step, i.e. up to t + s, starting at the end of the previous step. For example, precipitation from the HRES at time=06:00, step=4 represents precipitation up to 06:00 + 4, starting from 06:00 + 3, i.e. precipitation in the period 09:00 to 10:00.
IN MARS THE STEP IS THE NUMBER OF HOURS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE FORECAST, SO S-1 ONLY WORKS FOR THE HRES, NOT THE EDA.
Summary
The following table summarizes how instantaneous and accumulated parameters, from analysis and forecast are available in ERA5:
instantaneous parameters,
e.g. 2m temperature
accumulated parameters,
Analysis
'date' and 'time' indicate a specific point in time for which a data analysis is carried out ('validity time')
'time' is hourly, HH:00
'step' does not apply
Data values are representative at the analysis time
Calculated from observations and previous forecasts
Forecast
'date' and 'time' indicate a specific point in time at which a forecast starts (initialization time).
'time' can be 06:00 or 18:00
'step' indicates the number of forecasting steps from the initialization time
'step' can be 0 (effectively giving analysis), or in the range 1 to 18
Data values are representative in the period up to the forecast time, from the previous forecast time.
Calculated from analysis and the forecast model
Data represents the accumulation up to 'time' t + 'step' s, starting from the previous step, so the accumulation covers the period from t + sx-1 to t + sx
For example, time=06:00 and step=2 specifies the accumulation up to 06:00+2*1h (i.e. up to 08:00), starting from the previous step (s=1, i.e. at 06:00+1*1h = 07:00), so the accumulation covers the period from 07:00 to 08:00.
In ERA5 forecasts there are some parameters named '...since previous post-processing', for example 'Maximum temperature at 2 metres since previous post-processing'.
Data represents the Min/Max values within the forecast step.
Time and Step
'time' in analyses
Each analysis has a validity time, i.e. the time the data values refer to (not the time when the analysis was computed).
All validity times are in hours UTC.
Depending on the selected stream, ERA5 daily analysis data is available hourly (i.e. for the HRES, with validity time 00:00, 01:00, 02:00, ... , 23:00) or 3-hourly (i.e. for the EDA, with validity time 00:00, 03:00, 06:00, ... , 21:00). See also the ERA5: data documentation, 'Temporal resolution' and the ERA5 Catalogue, streams.
The concept of 'step' does not apply to analyses.
'time' in forecasts
Each forecast starts with the atmospheric conditions at a specific 'initialization time'. In ERA5 a new forecast is computed twice a day, with initialization times of 06:00 and 18:00 UTC.
In the ERA5 data archive, for forecasts, 'time' (and date) refers to the initialization time.
'step' in forecasts
Each forecast computes the future atmospheric conditions, and at certain "points", or "steps", during this computation the data is post-processed, and stored in the ERA5 data archive. In ERA5 there is a step every 1 or 3 hours, depending on the selected stream. Note, when downloading data from the C3S Climate Data Store (CDS), 'step' does not need to be specified because data is selected according to the valid time automatically, assuming steps from 1 to 12 hours.
Steps are referenced in hours from the forecast initialization time. This is regardless of the step interval. For example, for time=06:00, step 3 is always at 09:00 (06:00+3h).
The step interval in ERA5 is:
- Every 1 hour in the HRES atmospheric (stream=oper), HRES wave (stream=wave) and EDA wave (stream=ewda) forecasts. Hence data is available with validity times 06:00 (step 0, initialization), 07:00 (step 1, i.e. initialization + 1h), 08:00 (step 2, i.e. initialization + 2h), and so on, and equivalent for the 18:00 initialization.
- Every 3 hours in the EDA atmospheric (stream=enda) forecasts. Hence data is available with validity times 06:00 (step 0, initialization), 09:00 (step 3, i.e. initialization +3h), 12:00 (step 6, i.e. initialization + 6h), and so on, and equivalent for the 18:00 initialization.
'step' and instantaneous, accumulated and min/max parameters
The interpretation of 'step' also depends on the parameter:
- Instantaneous parameters are valid at the time indicated by time+step. For example, temperature from the forecast at time=06:00, step=3, represents the temperature at 06:00 + 3h, i.e. at 09:00.
- Accumulated parameters are aggregated up to a Step Y, starting at the previous Step X:
Note that the interval between Step X and Step Y can be 1 hour or 3 hours, depending on the selected stream. At Step 0 all accumulated values and mean rates are zero, because there is no previous data to accumulate from. | Examples:
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- Mean rate parameters are similar to accumulated parameters, except that the quantities are averaged, instead of accumulated, up to a Step Y , from the previous Step X, so the units include "per second". For example:
- In HRES atmospheric (hourly steps), mean rate precipitation at time=06:00, step=3 represents the average precipitation rate in the 1-hour period from 08:00 to 09:00,.
- In EDA atmospheric (3-hourly steps), mean rate precipitation at time=06:00, step=3 represents the average precipitation rate in the 3-hour period from 06:00 to 09:00.
- Min/max parameters (parameters named 'Minimum/Maximum ... since previous post-processing' ) are similar to accumulated parameters, except that instead of accumulating, only the min/max value during the period from Step X to Step Y is archived.
Summary
- If you download ERA5 data hosted on the C3S Climate Data Store (CDS), you can either download the data using the web interface or CDS API. If you go for CDS API, you should use the web interface to help you build up the download script by making selections and then clicking the 'Show API request' button towards the end of a download form.
- If you download ERA5 data hosted outside of CDS, you can download the data using CDS API. You should then use the ERA5 catalogue to help you build up your script by making selections and then clicking the 'View the MARS request' link.
The following table summarizes the different parameter types available in ERA5 from analysis and forecast:
Instantaneous parameters, e.g. 2m temperature | Accumulated parameters, | Mean rate parameters | Minimum/maximum parameters named 'Minimum/Maximum ... since previous post-processing' | |
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Analysis Calculated from observations and previous forecasts 'time' indicates a specific point in time for which a data analysis is carried out 'time' is hourly, HH:00 'step' does not apply | For example '2 metre temperature'. Values are valid at 'time' | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. |
Forecast Calculated from analysis and the forecast model 'time' indicate a specific point in time at which a forecast starts (initialization time) 'time' can be 06:00 or 18:00 'step' indicates hours after the initialization time. | For example '2 metre temperature'. Values are valid at 'time'+'step' 'step' is in the range 0 to 18 (hours after initialization) | For example 'Total precipitation'. Values represent the accumulation up to 'time'+'step', from the previous 'step' 'step' is in the range 0 to 18 (hours after initialization) At 'step' 0 all data is zero. | For example 'Mean total precipitation rate'. Values represent the average rate up to 'time'+'step', from the previous 'step' 'step' is in the range 0 to 18 (hours after initialization) At 'step' 0 all data is zero. | For example 'Maximum temperature at 2 metres since previous post-processing'. Values represent the Min/Max in the period up to 'time'+'step', starting from the previous 'step' 'step' is in the range 0 to 18 (hours after initialization) At 'step' 0 all data is zero. |
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Examples ERA5 data should preferably be downloaded from the C3S Climate Data Store (CDS). There you only need to select the desired validity times; the CDS then maps the validity times to the corresponding analysis/forecast and step. The examples below apply to retrieving ERA5 data from the ECMWF data archive MARS. See How to download ERA5 data via the ECMWF Web API Example 1: hourly data, accumulated; e.g. total precipitation and evaporation
The resulting WebAPI Python script to download data: These specifications give you hourly 'total precipitation' data from 2015-01-01, 06:00 to 2015-02-01, 06:00. Discard the last 6 hours (2015-02-01, 00:01 to 06:00). The data does not cover the period 00:00 to 06:00 of the first date. Retrieve these 6 hours from the last forecast of the previous day ('date':'2014-12-31', 'time':'18:00', 'step':'7/8/9/10/11/12') Example 2: daily average, minimum and maximum of 2m temperatureIn ERA5 there is no daily data, so you have to download sub-daily data and aggregate to full days yourself.
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Examples
See also How to download ERA5 data via the ECMWF Web API
Example 1
You need total precipitation (tp) as hourly values for January 2015.
tp is an accumulated parameter, so only available from forecasts.
ERA5 forecasts are initialized at 06:00 and 18:00. Each forecast step is one hour, so you need from each 06:00 forecast and from each 18:00 forecast, tp for first the first 12 forecast steps:
- type : fc
- date : 2015-01-01/to/2015-01-31
- time : 06:00/18:00
- step : 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12
This results in hourly data from January 01, 06:00 to February 01, 06:00 (discard the last 6 hours).
You still need the first six hours of the first day, get these from the last forecast of the previous day:
- type : fc
- date : 2014-12-31
- time : 18:00
- step : 7/8/9/10/11/12
Example 2
You need 2 metre temperature (2t) as daily average for January 2015.
2t is an instantaneous parameter, available from analysis and forecasts. Since both are available, analysis is recommended.
ERA5 analysis is available at each full hour, so you need:
- type : an
- date : 2015-01-01/to/2015-01-31
- time : 00:00/01:00/02:00/03:00/04:00/05:00/06:00/07:00/08:00/09:00/10:00/11:00/12:00/13:00/14:00/15:00/16:00/17:00/18:00/19:00/20:00/21:00/22:00/23:00
This results in hourly data for 2t. Then calculate the daily average.
Example 3
You need the daily minimum and maximum of 2m temperature for January 2015.
You could obtain the hourly 2m temperature (see Example 3), and then identify the daily maximum and minimum of the hourly values.
Alternatively you can use the parameters
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Is this a valid use case? Why not simply use analysis?
ERA5 forecasts are initialized at 06:00 and 18:00. Each forecast step is one hour, so you need from each 06:00 forecast and from each 18:00 forecast, mx2t and mn2t for first the first 12 forecast steps:
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This results in hourly data from January 01, 06:00 to February 01, 06:00 (discard the last 6 hours).
You still need the first six hours of the first day, get these from the last forecast of the previous day:
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The resulting WebAPI Python script to download data: These specifications give you hourly data from 2015-01-01, 06:00 to 2015-02-01, 06:00. Discard the last 6 hours (2015-02-01, 00:01 to 06:00). The data does not cover the period 00:00 to 06:00 of the first date. Retrieve these 6 hours from the last forecast of the previous day ('date':'2014-12-31', 'time':'18:00', 'step':'7/8/9/10/11/12') To find the average 2 metre temperature per day, average the hourly 2t values per date. To find the daily max/min, find the the max/min of the hourly mx2t/mn2t per date. |
See also
How to download ERA5 data via the ECMWF Web API
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This document has been produced in the context of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). The activities leading to these results have been contracted by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, operator of C3S on behalf of the European Union (Delegation Agreement signed on 11/11/2014 and Contribution Agreement signed on 22/07/2021). All information in this document is provided "as is" and no guarantee or warranty is given that the information is fit for any particular purpose. The users thereof use the information at their sole risk and liability. For the avoidance of all doubt , the European Commission and the European Centre for Medium - Range Weather Forecasts have no liability in respect of this document, which is merely representing the author's view. |
Sample Python script for the ECMWF WebAPI:
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#!/usr/bin/env python
from ecmwfapi import ECMWFDataServer
server = ECMWFDataServer()
server.retrieve({
"class": "ea",
"dataset": "era5",
"stream": "oper",
"expver": "1",
"date": "2015-01-01/to/2015-01-31",
"type": "fc",
"levtype": "sfc",
"param": "201.128/202.128", # 'Maximum temperature at 2 metres since previous post-processing' and 'Minimum temperature at 2 metres since previous post-processing'
"time": "06:00:00/18:00:00", # 2 forecasts per day, starting at 06:00 and 12:00
"step": "1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12", # For each forecast 18 one-hour steps are available. Here we use only steps 1 to 12.
"grid": "0.30/0.30",
"area": "60/-10/20/50",
"target": "output", # change this to your output file name
}) |
The above script retrieves Min and Max 2m temperature since previous post-processing, from 2015-01-01 06:00 to 2015-02-01 06:00, as one-hour periods. To identify the daily max/min, find the the max/min of these one-hour maxima/minima.
See also
How to download ERA5 data via the ECMWF Web APIRelated articles
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