Available releases
Please note, we do not provide OpenIFS versions for each IFS release. IFS releases are typically once or twice a year. OpenIFS versions are released less frequently and typically linked to significant scientific enhancements of IFS.
Cycle 40r1
The OpenIFS cycle 40r1 model and the single column model (SCM) at cycle 40r1 are available from the OpenIFS ftp site for download. The Offline Surface Model is available upon request to licensed users, contact openifs-support@ecmwf.int.
For a detailed description of this cycle, please see: Cycle 40r1 description. IFS CY40R1 was operational from Nov 2013 to May 2015.
Cycle 38r1
This is the first version of the OpenIFS models, released is 2012. The OpenIFS model is based on IFS cycle 38r1 but does not include the data assimilation nor the wave model. IFS CY38R1 was operational from June 2012 to June 2013.
For a detailed description of this cycle, please see: Cycle 38r1 description.
Licensed users can obtain the 38r1 models from the OpenIFS ftp site, please see OpenIFS User Guides for more details.
OpenIFS versioning
OpenIFS version numbers are of the form: CY40R1V1.
'CY40' means IFS model 'cycle' 40. 'R1' refers to the IFS model release 1 of cycle 40. The 'V1' refers solely to OpenIFS and is the version of OpenIFS based on that IFS cycle and release.
ECMWF and Meteo-France jointly develop the IFS model. A new cycle is formed when the two centres merge their code changes. A model release is specific to ECMWF (the 'R' actually represents 'Reading,UK').
The version number is specific to OpenIFS. As OpenIFS model versions have a much longer lifetime than IFS versions, OpenIFS is periodically updated with: technical changes for new compiler versions, new hardware, bugfixes from more recent IFS releases, new functionality and so on.
Changes to the version number will not alter the model's results. Only changes to the cycle and release number will alter the scientific results from the model.