The ECMWF Integrated Forecasting System (IFS)
Summary of the key characteristics of the IFS. Operational configurations of the ECMWF Integrated Forecasting System (IFS)
More info at:
Documentation Atmospheric model CY49R1
ERA ERA-Interim, ERA5, ERA5-Land
Model | Function | System Name | Resolution & Levels (follow links to see where the model levels are) | Ensemble Size | Top Level |
Atmospheric General Forecast Model | High Resolution HRES (identical to Ensemble Control Forecast (ex-HRES)) | HRES Ensemble Control Forecast (ex-HRES) | ~9km (TCo1279) | 1 | 0.01 hPa |
Medium range ensemble | ENS | ~9km (TCo1279) | 50
| 0.01 hPa | |
Sub-seasonal (renamed from Extended) | Sub-seasonal ENS | ~36km (TCo319) | 100 + Control | 0.01 hPa | |
Seasonal (run monthly for months 0-7) | S5 or SEAS | ~36km (TCo319) | 50 + Control | 0.01 hPa | |
Seasonal (run quarterly for months 0-13) | S5 or SEAS | ~36km (TCo319) | 15 | 0.01 hPa | |
Oceanic wave model ensemble | Medium range ENS WAM Ensemble Control (ex-HRES) WAM | ~9km | 1 50 | ||
Oceanic wave model ensemble (Sub-seasonal) | Sub-seasonal ENS WAM | ~36km | 50 | ||
Seasonal wave model ensemble | Seasonal WAM | ~1 deg lat x 1 deg long | |||
| |||||
Atmospheric model Reanalysis Re-forecast | ERA5 Ensemble Control (ex-HRES) ENS | ~9km (archived at TCo1279) | 10 | 0.01 hPa | |
Atmospheric model Reanalysis Re-forecast | ERA5 Sub-synoptic ENS | ~36km (archived at TCo319) | 10 | 0.01 hPa | |
Atmospheric model Ensemble of Data Assimilations (EDA) Reanalysis | ERA5 EDA | ~18km (archived at TCo639) | 50 | 0.01 hPa | |
Oceanic wave model Reanalysis Re-forecast | ERA5 Wave | 0.36° Latitude | 1 | ||
Oceanic wave model EDA Reanalysis | ERA5 Wave EDA | 1.00° Latitude | 10 | ||
Parameterised systems for 2-way interaction with Atmospheric Model Resolution same as the calling model... ...unless otherwise shown | Land Surface Model (LDAS) | HTESSEL | |||
Sea Surface Model (WAM) (See below) | WAM | ||||
Lake Model | FLAKE | ||||
Convection Model | CONV | ||||
Clouds - Large Scale Water Processes | LSWP | ||||
Radiation | RDTT | Ensemble Control Forecast (ex-HRES) and ENS ~55km SEAS ~222km | |||
Turbulence & Gravity Wave Drag | TGWD | ||||
Non-orographic Gravity Wave Drag | NOGW | ||||
Sea Ice Model (see NEMO below) | LIM2 | ||||
Representation of uncertainty in parameterisation schemes | SPPT | ||||
Representation of uncertainty in energy transfer... ...from sub-gridscales to resolved scales | SKEB |
Table 12.A.2 Main Oceanographic Models and Programmes
Model | Function | System Name | Resolution | Ensemble Size |
Wave forecast model | Ocean wave coupled to Ensemble Control (ex-HRES) | HRES-WAM Ensemble Control (ex-HRES) | ~9km. | 1 |
Ocean wave coupled to sub-seasonal | ENS-WAM | ~9km. | 50 + Control | |
Ocean wave coupled to Seasonal | SEAS-WAM | ~36km. | 50 + Control |
Model | Function | System Name | Resolution | Ensemble Size |
Ocean General Circulation Model | Ocean General Circulation Model | NEMO | ~28km. 0.25° Latitude 75 levels | 50 + control |
Sea Ice Model | LIM2 | ~28km. 0.25° Latitude |
Table 12.A.3 Data Assimilation Programmes
Assimilation Programmes | System Name | System Name | Resolution & Levels | Ensemble Size | Top Level |
Atmospheric Data Assimilation Series of nested loops at increasing resolutions |
4D-Var | 4D-Var | 137 levels | 1 | 0.01 hPa |
Ensembles of Data Assimilation Series of nested loops at increasing resolutions | EDA | 137 levels | 50 + Control | 0.01 hPa | |
Ocean Real Time Analysis | NEMOVAR | ORTA4 | ~28km 75 levels | 1 | |
Ensembles of Data Assimilation for Ocean Model Ensemble. | ORAS5 | ~28km 75 levels | 5 |
Indicators for Resolution:
- TL Triangular-linear grid (shortest wave resolution is represented by two grid points).
- TCo Triangular-cubic-octahedral grid (shortest wave resolution is represented by four grid points).
- N Native grid, as produced by the model on reduced Gaussian grids or spherical harmonics.
The numbers indicate the spectral truncation.
(FUG Associated with Cy49r1)