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Form of Output

ECMWF provides data from several different IFS models, each available according to when the IFS models are run, and each with different temporal resolutions in the output data.

Output data is in the form:

  • most commonly as absolute values:  
    • instantaneous values,
    • averages over a period,
    • totals over a period,  
    • maxima or minima over a period.
  • sometimes as:

Medium Range forecasts

Daily runs based 00UTC and 12UTC data time are available for the following forecast times:

  • medium range (10-day) CONTROL-10 and CONTROL10-WAM analysis and forecasts based on 00UTC and 12UTC: hourly up to T+90, 3-hourly from T+93 to T+144, 6-hourly from T+150 to T+240.
  • medium range (15-day) ENS & ENS-WAM analysis and forecasts based on 00UTC 3 hourly up to T+144, 6-hourly from T+150 to T+360. ???????

For Members of the Boundary Conditions (BC) optional programme (members using ECMWF IFS model forecast values as boundary conditions for their own local areas models) Medium Range forecasts based on 06UTC and 18UTC data times are available for the following forecast times:

  • medium range (10-day) CONTROL-10 and CONTROL10-WAM analysis and forecast based on 06UTC and 18UTC:  hourly up to T+90, 3-hourly from T+93 to T+144

Note: Precipitation forecasts are provided as values accumulated from the start of the forecast integration.  The range of the daily variation of the forecast 2m temperature and wind gust is best estimated by retrieving the forecast maximum and minimum values.  The combination of accumulated and instantaneous forecast information can occasionally lead to inconsistencies as in both cases the valid time is defined as the time at the end of the period (e.g. during the passage of a cold front when significant precipitation amounts might be accumulated by the IFS models over the whole time interval though instantaneous cloud-free conditions will be shown at the end of the interval). ?????

Definitive information on the ECMWF dissemination schedule and products can be found in the the Catalogue of ECMWF real-time products (HRES*: Set i, HRES*-WAM: Set ii, ENS: Set iii, ENS-WAM: Set iv).


Extended Range forecasts

Run daily based on 00UTC data time, six 7-day ranges per run are available for the following forecast times :

For data:

  • ENS-extended & ENS-WAM-extended: 6-hourly from T+366 to T+1008. ?????
  • ENS-extended & ENS-WAM-extended ensemble means and anomalies: 
    • T+0 to T+168(week1),  T+168 to T+336(week2),  T+336 to T+504(week3),  T+504 to T+672(week4),  T+672 to T+840(week5),  T+840 to T+1008(week6). ?????

For  Sea :

  • ENS-extended & ENS-WAM-extended: 6-hourly from T+366 to T+1008. ?????
  • ENS-extended & ENS-WAM-extended ensemble means and anomalies (output is for corresponding forecast weeks) on:
    • T+0 to T+168(week1),  T+168 to T+336(week2),  T+336 to T+504(week3),  T+504 to T+672(week4),  T+672 to T+840(week5),  T+840 to T+1008(week6). ?????

Note: Precipitation forecasts are provided as values accumulated from the start of the forecast integration.  The range of the daily variation of the forecast 2m temperature and wind gust is best estimated by retrieving the forecast maximum and minimum values.  The combination of accumulated and instantaneous forecast information can occasionally lead to inconsistencies as in both cases the valid time is defined as the time at the end of the period (e.g. during the passage of a cold front when significant precipitation amounts might be accumulated by theIFS models over the whole time interval though instantaneous cloud-free conditions will be shown at the end of the interval).

Definitive information on the ECMWF dissemination schedule and products can be found in the the Catalogue of ECMWF real-time products (ENS-extended: Set vi, ENS-WAM-extended: Set iv-i).


Seasonal forecasts

These are made available based on 00UTC data time on 1st of each month run on the 5th of each month in the form:

For data:

  • Seasonal: 6-hourly ensemble means from Month 0 to Month 7, extended to Month 12 four times per year.
  • Seasonal: 6hr, 12hr and 24hr output from individual forecast runs.
  • Seasonal: Monthly ensemble means and anomalies means from Month 0 to Month 7, extended to Month 12 four times per year.

For ecCharts

  • Seasonal: Monthly ensemble means and anomalies means from Month 0 to Month 7, extended to Month 12 four times per year.

See available Seasonal datasets for more detail of the resolution of the data and the parameters available and the dissemination schedule.

Definitive information on the ECMWF dissemination schedule and products can be found in the the Catalogue of ECMWF real-time products (SEAS: Set v).




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