Numerical weather prediction

Courses tagged with "Numerical weather prediction"

Ensemble Forecasting: Sources of forecast uncertainty (introduction)

Learn about sources of error in NWP, how they are quantified, and how ensembles are evaluated.

Level: Fundamentals
Certification course: No
What you'll learn:

  • Sources of forecast uncertainty
  • How ensembles quantify forecast uncertainty
  • How to extract information from the ensemble and evaluate performance
  • Communicating uncertainty
Full description:

Ensembles are run to account for uncertainties in initial conditions. This lesson explores the sources of error in NWP, how they are quantified, and how ensembles are evaluated.

Estimated duration: 40 minutes
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Atmospheric composition: No
Climate: No
Computing services and tools: No
Data applications: No
Forecasting: No
Machine learning: No
Numerical weather prediction: Yes
Category: Forecasting

Forecast Jumpiness: An introduction

Learn about the ways in which forecast jumpiness can appear and how it can be mitigated.


Level: Fundamentals
Certification course: No
What you'll learn:

  • What is forecast jumpiness?
  • Examples of jumpiness
  • Jumpiness in the context of ensembles
  • How dynamic sensitivities relate to jumpiness
Full description:

There are times when consecutive forecasts can 'jump' significantly. This lesson will discuss the ways in which forecast jumpiness can appear and how it can be mitigated.

Estimated duration: 30 minutes
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Atmospheric composition: No
Climate: No
Computing services and tools: No
Data applications: No
Forecasting: No
Machine learning: No
Numerical weather prediction: Yes
Category: Forecasting

Cloud and precipitation parametrization 2: ice and mixed-phase microphysics

This lesson covers key processes in ice and mixed-phase clouds and precipitation, and parametrization uncertainties.

Level: Others
Certification course: No
What you'll learn:

  • An overview of key microphysical processes for ice and mixed-phase cloud and precipitation in the atmosphere.
  • How to recognise the important ice and mixed-phase microphysical processes that need to be parameterised in a numerical weather prediction model.
  • The complexities of ice and mixed-phase microphysical processes, and uncertainties in their parameterisation.
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Atmospheric composition: No
Climate: No
Computing services and tools: No
Data applications: No
Forecasting: No
Machine learning: No
Numerical weather prediction: No

Cloud and precipitation parametrization 1: overview and warm-phase microphysics

Explore the key microphysical and warm-phase processes of cloud and precipitation parametrisation and their use in NWP.

Level: Others
Certification course: No
What you'll learn:

  • Basic concepts for the design of a cloud and precipitation microphysics parameterisation.
  • Key microphysical processes for warm phase cloud and precipitation in the atmosphere.
  • Which warm phase microphysical processes need to be parameterised in a numerical weather prediction model.
Estimated duration: 30 minutes
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Atmospheric composition: No
Climate: No
Computing services and tools: No
Data applications: No
Forecasting: No
Machine learning: No
Numerical weather prediction: No

Land surface: introduction to cold processes

Learn about the unique role of snow in forecasting, from short-range to seasonal time scales.

Level: Fundamentals
Certification course: No
What you'll learn:

  • The main physical properties of snow
  • The role of snow in the climate system at different time scales
  • Seasonal regimes in high latitude (cold) regions
  • How snow models are integrated into NWP and climate models
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Atmospheric composition: No
Climate: No
Computing services and tools: No
Data applications: No
Forecasting: No
Machine learning: No
Numerical weather prediction: No

Parametrisation of diabatic processes - case studies (convection)

Four case studies exploring the conditions that cause deep convection, considering predictability and forecast errors.

Level: Others
Certification course: No
What you'll learn:

  • The upper and lower-level flow conditions that favour deep convection
  • Translating weather maps in situations of deep convection
  • How to identify convective features and areas with potential predictability and forecast errors
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Atmospheric composition: No
Climate: No
Computing services and tools: No
Data applications: No
Forecasting: No
Machine learning: No
Numerical weather prediction: No

Introduction to the parametrization of sub-grid processes

Learn how sub-grid-scale processes (not explicitly simulated in NWP), are parameterised and how challenges are overcome.

Level: Fundamentals
Certification course: No
What you'll learn:

  • What parameterisation is and why it is needed
  • Methods and strategies for parameterisation
  • The role of parameterisation schemes in forecasting products
  • Examples of parameterisation, and sources of uncertainty
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Atmospheric composition: No
Climate: No
Computing services and tools: No
Data applications: No
Forecasting: No
Machine learning: No
Numerical weather prediction: No

An introduction to Data Assimilation

Learn about data assimilation and how it is used to define ‘optimal' initial conditions for NWP at ECMWF.

Level: Fundamentals
Certification course: No
What you'll learn:

  • What is data assimilation and how it fits into numerical weather prediction
  • Which sources of observations are used by ECMWF in its data assimilation process
  • How data assimilation methods work, including 4D- VAR
  • Recent improvements in data assimilation, and future challenges
Estimated duration: 40 minutes
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Atmospheric composition: No
Climate: No
Computing services and tools: No
Data applications: No
Forecasting: No
Machine learning: No
Numerical weather prediction: No

Satellite observations and their role in NWP

Learn about the role of satellite observations and measurements, and how these are assimilated and monitored for NWP.

Level: Fundamentals
Certification course: No
What you'll learn:

  • Different data sources and the role of satellite observations in NWP
  • Types of satellites, what they measure, and how measurements are taken
  • How satellite observations are monitored and assimilated
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Atmospheric composition: No
Climate: No
Computing services and tools: No
Data applications: No
Forecasting: No
Machine learning: No
Numerical weather prediction: No

Representing model uncertainty with stochastic physics

Explore sources of uncertainty in NWP and how this is represented in the IFS using stochastic physics.

Level: Others
Certification course: No
What you'll learn:

  • Sources of model uncertainty
  • How model uncertainty is represented in ensemble forecasts, and in particular in the IFS
  • How process-level model uncertainty is accounted for, including the Stochastically Perturbed Parameterisation Tendencies scheme

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Atmospheric composition: No
Climate: No
Computing services and tools: No
Data applications: No
Forecasting: No
Machine learning: No
Numerical weather prediction: No

An introduction to single-column modelling

How SCM is used to investigate the physical processes of a global model in isolation, its applications and limitations.

Level: Others
Certification course: No
What you'll learn:

  • What single column models are and how they are applied
  • How to run a single column model, including data requirements
  • Practical examples of SCMs
  • Advantages and disadvantages of SCMs
Estimated duration: 30 minutes
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Atmospheric composition: No
Climate: No
Computing services and tools: No
Data applications: No
Forecasting: No
Machine learning: No
Numerical weather prediction: No

Sources of Uncertainty

Learn about uncertainties and chaotic behaviour in NWP, why ensembles are needed and how they are used at ECMWF.

Level: Fundamentals
Certification course: No
What you'll learn:

  • Sources of forecast uncertainty and chaotic behaviour
  • Ensembles as a tool for capturing uncertainty and probabilistic prediction
  • ECMWF model setup, initial conditions
Estimated duration: 40 minutes
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Atmospheric composition: No
Climate: No
Computing services and tools: No
Data applications: No
Forecasting: No
Machine learning: No
Numerical weather prediction: No

Parametrisation of diabatic processes - Convection in the context of large-scale circulation

This lesson will take you through what convection is and the phenomena it causes.

Level: Others
Certification course: No
What you'll learn:

  • The importance of convection in global energy and water balance.
  • Meteorological phenomena generated by convection.
  • About buoyancy and the parcel or plume method
  • About large scale effects of convection
  • About convectively coupled waves
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Atmospheric composition: No
Climate: No
Computing services and tools: No
Data applications: No
Forecasting: No
Machine learning: No
Numerical weather prediction: No

Parametrization of diabatic processes - The mass-flux approach and the IFS scheme

This lesson looks at the three classes of parametrization schemes and the main characteristics of the IFS scheme.

Level: Others
Certification course: No
What you'll learn:

  • What parameterisation schemes for convection are, and the main aims.
  • The three main parameterisation schemes used for convection:
    • Those based on moisture budgets
    • Adjustment schemes
    • Mass-flux schemes
  • The convection scheme used in ECMWF's Integrated Forecasting System (IFS)
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Atmospheric composition: No
Climate: No
Computing services and tools: No
Data applications: No
Forecasting: No
Machine learning: No
Numerical weather prediction: No

Introduction to Cloud Parametrisation

An introduction to the basic concepts for the design of a cloud and precipitation microphysics parametrisation.

Certification course: No
What you'll learn:

  • Aspects of a cloud and precipitation parameterisation
  • Processes affecting clouds
  • Components and examples of microphysics parameterisation schemes
Estimated duration: 15 minutes
Hide last updated info: No
Hide number of enrollments: No
Hide full description label: No
Atmospheric composition: No
Climate: No
Computing services and tools: No
Data applications: No
Forecasting: No
Machine learning: No
Numerical weather prediction: No