Find out how to get ECMWF real-time forecast data.
| If you are just beginning to explore the products available from ECMWF, the costs and what licence you might need, please start from our forecast charts and data pages. |
What do we mean by real-time forecast data?
Find out how to get real-time forecast data
ECMWF free real-time forecast data and charts
- Access ECMWF open real-time forecast data.
- Real-time forecast charts are free and available to everyone.
Other real-time forecast data
You can browse real-time forecast data to see what is available, but remember that restrictions apply so you will need to order the data.
Technical set-up for delivery of real-time forecast data
Monitoring and changing delivery of real-time forecast data
Optional services for real-time forecast data
ECMWF offers a number of optional services for the delivery of real-time forecast data. The services available to you depend on the service package you have. Note that the silver package is only available for user who have Volume Band 3 or higher, while the Gold package is only available for users with Volume Band 4 or higher.
Service | What is it for? | Included in which package |
|---|---|---|
Office hours support (08:00 - 17:00 UTC) | For any queries regarding your ECMWF data. | Basic, Bronze, Silver, Gold (all) |
| 24/7 Operational Support | Get contacted by ECMWF operators in case there is an issue with the data dissemination. | Bronze, Silver, Gold |
Access to ECMWF Production Data Store (ECPDS) | To manage transmission of your real-time forecast data | Silver, Gold |
Access to PREd (Product Requirements Editor) | To change your real-time data requirements. | Silver, Gold |
| More than 1 users under a licence allowed to access PREd and ECPDS | Have multiple users accessing PREd and ECPDS | Gold (max. 2) |
| More than one destination on ECPDS | Get data sent to additional hosts | Silver (max. 2), Gold (max. 4) |
| Access to MARS | Download archive data | Gold |
| Access to ecCharts | Inspect, explore and visualise ECMWF forecast data in an interactive way | Gold |
| Parallel/backup hosts | If the primary host fails, a back-up host can be installed to take over | Bronze, Silver, Gold |
| Multiple hosts | Get data send to an additional host | Bronze (max. 2), Silver (max. 4), Gold (max. 8) |
| Parallel transfers | Parallel transmission of files can prevent backlogs of data accumulating due to slow transfer speeds | Silver (max. 5), Gold (max. 10) |
| Directory targetting | To distribute transmitted files to different directories on the receiving system | Gold |
| ECPDS - Push delivery mechanism | Get the real-time data pushed to your host | Basic, Bronze, Silver, Gold (all) |
ECPDS - FTP Pull (volume allowed proportionate to volume band) | Pull the data yourself, instead of getting the data pushed to your host | Gold |
| ECPDS - Set-up of an alias | Send your real-time data to an additional server | Silver, Gold |
Compression | To reduce the volume of data transmitted | Bronze, Silver, Gold |
| Changes to operational data requirements per year implemented by ECMWF Data Support Team | Data Support changes your data requirements | Basic (max. 2), Bronze(max. 4), Silver (max. 2), Gold (max. 4) |
| Changes to operational data requirements per year implemented by users themselves | Change your data requirements yourself | Silver (max. 4 or for Maximum Charge users: unlimited) Gold (unlimited) |
| ECPDS + PREd configuration changes | Change your configuration on ECPDS or PREd | Basic (max. 2), Bronze (max. 4), Silver (max. 8), Gold (max. 16) |
| ECPDS - Key Rotation | Change the keys to your host to improve the security | Silver, Gold |
| Test data for cycle upgrades | Get test data from the next cycle of the model | Silver (Delivery under licensee's request) Gold (Operational Delivery by default) |
| Dissemination Language Generator | Get your data requirements in MARS language, such that you don't have to figure this out by yourself | Silver, Gold |
Real-time data format
Find out about data format and how to read your data files.
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