ECMWF is providing some guidance on SYNOP surface pressure observation issues based on experience from the SEEMHEWS-A (South-East European Multi-Hazard Early Warning Advisory System) project. In this project, additional SYNOPs needed to be monitored prior to their inclusion in the set of in-situ observations processed at ECMWF. Within the context of Non-EUMETNET and Non-WMO NHMS (National Meteorological and Hydrological Service) observations, this required quality checks and guidance on how to improve SYNOP observations rejected by ECMWF IFS model. It was decided to create a troubleshooting page to support resolution of issues in such cases in which close collaboration between the SYNOP observation data provider and the ECMWF observation monitoring team is needed.
The new troubleshooting page can be accessed here.
Beginning with the 12UTC runs on 23rd May 2022 the way in which ECMWF computes post-processed ecPoint output, for 12h rainfall, changed in several ways. The skill and reliability of the ecPoint forecasts should improve as a result. For more information on this upgrade, and some examples, see here.
Users of ECMWF forecast products are reminded that there will be some noteworthy changes in forecast behaviour when cycle 47r3 goes live on 12th October. Please check this web page for details: 47r3 Impact on Surface Weather representation. It has been updated today (11th October) with more information.
We are pleased to confirm the operational implementation of IFS Cycle 47r3 with the
06 UTC run, 12 October 2021
The upgrade will bring improvements to the assimilation and observations usage and a significantly improved physical basis for moist processes, necessary to facilitate further development of the Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) and future application at convection-permitting resolutions. The release candidate phase has been running in near real-time since 14 September. In a recent Webinar we explained the scientific background, its meteorological impact, and some new and revised products. Forecast users are recommended to read "47r3 Impact on Surface Weather representation", highlighting the changes with 47r3 in the characteristics of many frequently used forecast fields and products.
We would also like to remind you of a change to the “Master Tables Version Number”, affecting all parameters in GRIB 2, and encourage you to check your data processing with the test data provided as soon as possible ahead of implementation.
Detailed information can be found on the 47r3 implementation page. Please “watch” the page to get notified about further updates.
The new IFS Cycle 47r3, expected to be the last upgrade before ECMWF's new data centre in Bologna will become operational, is scheduled to be implemented on 12 October 2021.
IFS Cycle 47r3 will bring improvements to the assimilation and observations usage and a significantly improved physical basis for moist processes, necessary to facilitate further development of the Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) and future application at convection-permitting resolutions.
The upgrade will bring more accurate upper air fields, particularly tropical winds, as well as precipitation in convective regimes. Several new convection-related products will be available and systematic errors are reduced for wind gusts and visibility for fog and precipitation
In a first webinar on
6 July 2021 at 8:00 UTC: Join the webinar on Zoom
Andy Brown, Director of Research, will introduce the new cycle.
For more information and to keep up to date with further progress please follow and “watch” the 47r3 implementation page.
On Tuesday 18th May ECMWF will release to users its new-look cyclone database products (products that feature front and cyclone locations and cyclone track information), following a collaborative initiative involving Met Office scientists. The changes are explained on this page in the Forecast User Guide.
The new IFS Cycle 47r2 has been successfully implemented with the 06 UTC run on 11 May 2021. The key improvements introduced with this upgrade, the change to single precision in the HRES and ENS systems and the increased vertical resolution of ENS, are summarised in Forecast upgrade innovates on single precision and ensemble resolution. Furthermore, new Tropical Cyclone tracks from the 06/18 UTC forecast cycles are also available as WMO essential products, including graphical products. More details can be found on the implementation page for IFS Cycle 47r2.
We hope you will benefit from our enhanced forecast products. Please let us have any feedback via our Support Portal.
The new Cycle 47r2 test system has now been running as release candidate in near real-time since 9th February, on track for implementation on 11 May 2021. Cycle 47r2 layers in ecCharts and ENS meteograms will become available on 6 April. The recommended versions of ECMWF software packages to handle 47r2 data have now also been announced.
In a final webinar on
16th April 2021 at 8:00 UTC - join the webinar
Director of Forecasts Florian Pappenberger will present the latest model verification, new Tropical Cyclone tracks, and technical aspects like the access to test data and the handling of the increase of ENS model levels in dissemination. As usual, a recording of this webinar will be made available.
Please mark the webinar date in your calendar and keep watching the implementation page for more details and any further updates!
The new IFS model cycle which includes single precision for HRES and ENS and (with the computational savings made) an increase from 91 to 137 levels in the ENS forecast, is progressing well. Next week (9th February 2021) users will be able to access test data. A week later we will be running a Q&A session for those users who make use of ENS model level data.
Updates to the BUFR templates are included in the new cycle and we encourage users to test their decoding software. Moreover, Tropical Cyclone products from the 06 and 18 UTC cycles will be available as WMO essential.
Please visit the implementation page for details on how to access test data, the new BUFR template, the Tropical Cyclone products, model performance etc. at
Implementation of IFS Cycle 47r2
ECMWF informed all ecCharts users on the latest update to this service.
The updates include the ecCharts sharing functionality, a number of layers for ENS and extending range cumulative distribution functions (CDF) for temperature and precipitation.
Full details of this update are available at ecCharts updates - November 2020
Director of Research Andy Brown will introduce the new IFS model cycle (47r2) and its performance in the following two webinars:
- 2nd December 2020 at 14:30 UTC: Join the webinar
- 15th December 2020 at 08:30 UTC: Join the webinar (repeat)
Do not forget to add one of the dates to your calendar!
Additional details on the cycle and any new updates are available at Implementation of IFS Cycle 47r2.
A further webinar is planned for April 2021 and details on how to join will be provided closer to the event.
We are working on the new model upgrade (IFS cycle 47r2), expected to be the last cycle before ECMWF's computing centre is moving to Bologna. The upgrade includes single-precision for ENS (forecast up to day 46 and hindcast) and HRES (forecast) model. Moreover, the number of ENS model levels will be increased to 137 (currently 91) to bring ENS in line with the vertical resolution of HRES. A summary of the meteorological performance will be made available in November. We have scheduled webinars to introduce the cycle, two in December and one just before the implementation, planned for May 2021.
More details are available at Implementation of IFS Cycle 47r2.
Back in June ECMWF implemented a substantial upgrade of its Integrated Forecasting System (IFS). IFS Cycle 47r1 included changes in the forecast model and in the data assimilation system. The upgrade has had a small positive impact on forecast skill in medium-range and extended-range forecasts in the troposphere and a large positive impact on analyses and forecasts in the stratosphere.
We are pleased to announce that the full IFS Cycle 47r1 documentation is now available.
Following ECMWF Council decision in June 2020, we are pleased to announce the availability of Tropical Cyclone trajectories for the 06/18 UTC forecast cycles in test mode. For further details see Tropical Cyclone tracks from the 06/18 UTC forecast cycles : Test Products
Moreover, WMO essential products (publicly available) and additional products (available to NMHS of WMO countries) from the 06/18 UTC forecast cycles are available. Please check the products description and download instructions.
Also, four new parameters, previously available via the ACMAD data feed, will now be available as WMO additional products:
Short Name | Long Name |
TCWV | Total column water vapour |
SP | Surface pressure |
STL1 | Soil temperature level 1 |
SKT | Skin temperature |
Please note that the ACMAD data feed will be discontinued from the DCPC interface on the 13th January 2021 (12UTC run)
Implementation of IFS cycle 47r1 is now successfully completed. The first forecast of the new cycle was the 06UTC on 30th June 2020. A description of the new IFS cycle, key improvements and new products are available on our website ‘IFS upgrade greatly improves forecasts in the stratosphere’
We would like to take this opportunity to make you aware of our future plans for the next model upgrade which will see the introduction of single precision forecasts. More information about single precision is available in the following article ‘Progress in using single precision in the IFS’ . At this stage we are not in a position to give a firm date, but we are working towards implementation in Q1 2021.
Stay tuned!