- Created by Kathy Maskell, last modified by Dominique Lucas on May 01, 2024
This page has been revised as of to introduce the new naming convention for AIFS data available via dissemination.
AIFS data is due to be released via dissemination in April 2024.
Naming convention - IFS data
The following dissemination filename convention is used for the transmission of ECMWF dissemination products:
ccSMMDDHHIImmddhhiiE where:
- cc is Dissemination stream name
- S is dissemination data stream indicator
- MMDDHHII is month, day, hour and minute on which the products are based
- mmddhhii is month, day, hour and minute on which the products are valid at
- ddhhii is set to “______” for Seasonal Forecasting System products
- ii is set to 01 for high resolution forecast time step zero, type=fc, step=0
- E is the Experiment Version Number’ (as EXPVER in MARS, normally 1)
Dissemination data stream indicator
S | Description | Stream & Type (where applicable) |
|---|---|---|
| A | HRES Weather Parameter products (10-day) | stream=oper, type=wp |
| B | ENS Weather Parameter products (15-day) | stream=enfo, type=wp |
| C | Tropical Cyclone high resolution trajectory forecast products (HRES) (10-day) | stream=oper/scda, type=tf |
| D | High resolution forecast products - atmospheric data (HRES) (10-day) | stream=oper (also scda for 06/18 if requested) |
| E | Ensemble forecast products- atmospheric data (ENS) (15-day) | stream=enfo (00/06/12/18) |
| F | Extended range forecast products - atmospheric data (ENS-extended) (46-day) | stream=eefo (was enfo) |
| G | Ensemble forecast products - high-frequency wave data (ENS-WAM) (15-day) | stream=waef |
| H | Extended range re-forecast products - atmospheric data (ENS-extended) (46-day) | stream=eefh/eehs (was enfh/efhs) |
| I | Ensemble re-forecast products - atmospheric data (ENS) (15-day) | stream=enfh/efhs (new) |
| J | Ensemble re-forecast products - wave data (ENS) (15-day) | stream=enwh/wehs (new) |
| L | Seasonal forecasting system products - atmospheric data (SEAS) | stream=mmsm/mmsf/mmsa |
| N | Seasonal forecasting system products - wave data (SEAS-WAM) | stream=wasf |
| P | High resolution forecast - wave data (HRES-WAM) (10-day) | stream=wave (00/12) |
| Q | High resolution forecast - high-frequency wave data (HRES-WAM) (10-day) | stream=scwv (06/18) |
| S | High resolution forecast - high-frequency atmospheric data (HRES) (10-day) | stream=scda |
| T | Tropical Cyclone ensemble trajectory forecast products (ENS) | stream=enfo, type=tf |
| U | Ensemble forecast post-processed products - wave data (e.g. ensemble means, extreme forecast indices) | stream=waef, type=em/efi/sot/ep |
| V | Extended range forecast products - wave data (ENS-WAM-extended) (46-day) | stream=weef (was waef) |
| W | Ensemble forecast products - wave data (ENS-WAM) (15-day) | stream=waef |
| X | Ensemble forecast products - high-frequency atmospheric data (ENS) (15-day) | stream=enfo |
| Y | Ensemble forecast post-processed products - atmospheric data (e.g. ensemble means, extreme forecast indices) | stream=enfo, type=em/efi/sot/ep |
| Z | Extended range re-forecast products - wave data | stream=weeh/wees (was enwh/wehs) |
File format
Most products are encoded in WMO FM-92 GRIB edition 1, unless otherwise specified in our Catalogue of Real-time products
- Product subset I-i-c (High Resolution Atmospheric model), III-i-c (Ensemble Atmospheric model): Model level parameters encoded in WMO FM-92 GRIB edition 2
- Product subsets I-ii, III-iv (Time Series of Weather Parameters) and Products subsets I-iii, III-viii (Tropical Cyclones), encoded in WMO FM-94 BUFR
Create a support ticket in our Support portal
Naming - AIFS via dissemination
Taking into account user feedback, ECMWF has chosen to implement a new naming convention for the AIFS data via dissemination.
This only applies to AIFS data via Dissemination. Later, ECMWF may implement this for the IFS data also. We would welcome your feedback on this new naming convention.
The composition of the file will be comprised of MARS standard information such as class, stream, type but combined with unique user identifiers such as Destination name and Feed name:
- User Destination name (i.e. ABC)
- User Feed name (i.e. A1)
- Class (e.g. ai)
- Stream (e.g. oper)
- Type (e.g. fc or an)
- Production date (YYYYMMDD)
- Range/step
- Valid date (YYYYMMDD)
- Experiment version (usually 0001 for current operational cycle)
Therefore, an example filename would be:
Destination_Feed_Class_Stream_Type_ProdDate_Step_ValidDate_Expver.grb ABC_A1_AI_OPER_FC_202403141200_0_202403141200_0001.grb