Advances in Science and Research | 2019
Using the ECMWF OpenIFS model and state-of-the-art training techniques in meteorological education
Abstract
Abstract. The OpenIFS programme of the European Centre for Medium-Range\nWeather Forecasts (ECMWF) maintains a version of the ECMWF forecast model\n(IFS; Integrated Forecasting System) for use in education and research at\nuniversities, national meteorological services and other institutes. The\nOpenIFS model can be run on high-performance computing systems, desktop or\nlaptop computers to produce weather forecasts in a similar way to the\noperational forecasts at ECMWF. Application of OpenIFS as a training tool is\nwide ranging. At several universities, masters students are taught modelling\naspects via sensitivity studies, such as numerical stability, impact of\nspatial resolution and physical parameterisation settings on the forecast\nquality. The OpenIFS single column model is used to study a subset of\nphysical processes in the atmosphere. Participants of the OpenIFS user\nworkshops are trained through selected weather events on interpretation of\ndifferent forecasts, for example ensemble forecasts, probabilistic\ninformation, seasonal forecasts. The OpenIFS user meetings and training\nevents demonstrate advanced and easy-to-use graphical tools and training\ntechnologies. Metview is developed to analyse, visualise and evaluate the\nforecast outputs. OpenIFS and Metview “virtual machines” relieve the\ntutors from the difficulties often found in installing this software on the\nlocal computing environment. They provide data, applications and documents\nin a package tested in-house and deployed easily to another site. A further\nstep on virtualisation is utilising cloud servers, ensuring the\ncomputational resources demanded by model runs are available in the cloud\nspace. This paper shows the education activity in the OpenIFS programme with\nsome examples.