News

ECMWF needs up-to-date satellite observations of weather-related variables to initialise its forecasts and to conduct research. Its partnership with EUMETSAT is essential in this regard.

The Report reviews improvements in forecast performance, advances in research, the Centre’s contributions to Europe’s Copernicus Earth observation programme, preparations for the new data centre in Italy, and how we have worked through the COVID-19 pandemic.

ECMWF researchers have used detailed soil and weather observations up to about 200 metres above ground from several observational super-sites in Europe to assess and improve different aspects of our weather forecasts.

The second fully virtual Using ECMWF’s Forecasts event was held from 1 to 4 June 2021. The meeting attracted people from all over the world to discuss and provide feedback on ECMWF products and services.

ECMWF is to ingest data from Saildrone uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) later this year to improve our understanding of the behaviour of the Gulf Stream and its influence on weather. Up to six solar-powered USVs will cover a part of the Gulf Stream that is crucial for forecasts.

Some 170 scientists from around the world presented recent progress and challenges ahead in ocean data assimilation in a virtual event from 17 to 20 May 2021, organised jointly by ECMWF and OceanPredict.

ECMWF scientists made a big contribution to the European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2021, held online from 19 to 30 April. Their presentations touched on many aspects of weather prediction as well as work done by the two EU Copernicus services run by ECMWF.

An upgrade of ECMWF’s Integrated Forecasting System implemented on 11 May has introduced single precision for high-resolution and ensemble forecasts and increased the vertical ensemble resolution.

Registration and abstract submission are open for ECMWF’s online workshop on the use of high-performance computing in meteorology from 20 to 24 September.

The spring 2021 issue of the ECMWF Newsletter is now available. As well as news about ECMWF staff and events, it features articles about new developments and the use that can be made of ECMWF products.