Background

Access via web-api

The data is downloaded via web-api using python scripts. You will need to download the appropriate python modules to run these scripts. For example, the python scripts will contain from ecmwfapi import commands, like in this simple example:

#!/usr/bin/env python
#

from ecmwfapi import ECMWFDataServer

# To run this example, you need an API key 
# available from https://api.ecmwf.int/v1/key/

server = ECMWFDataServer(verbose=1)

server.retrieve({
'dataset' : "rom_saf_3198",
'stream' : "moda",
'levtype' : "pl",
'levelist': "1000",
'date' : "20150301",
'type' : "an",
'param' : "131.128",
'grid' : "0.5/0.5",
'format' : "netcdf",
'target' : "rom_saf_3198.nc"
})

General information related to downloading the data via web-api, is described here:

https://confluence.ecmwf.int/display/WEBAPI/Web-API+Downloads

Specifically, follow the steps here to install the latest code version:

https://pypi.org/project/ecmwf-api-client/

Briefly, install this with the pip command:

• pip install ecmwf-api-client

You will now have the modules needed in the python scripts. (I actually needed this command for the ECMWF system pip install --user ecmwf-api-client because of local permssions).

Login and retrieve your "key":

Login at:

• https://apps.ecmwf.int/auth/login/

Retrieve your key at:

• https://api.ecmwf.int/v1/key/

Create and paste the "key" information in here:

• $HOME/.ecmwfapirc

You will also need to accept the terms before you can access the data with web-api.