This catalogue entry provides documentaion amd access to the United Kingdom Meteorological Office (UKMO) dataset contribution to the Sub-seasonal to Seasonal (S2S) prediction project.
The Sub-seasonal to Seasonal (S2S) prediction project is a joint initiative of the World Weather Research Programme (WWRP) and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). The goal of S2S is to improve the forecast skill and understanding on the sub-seasonal to seasonal timescale, and to promote its uptake by operational centers and exploitation by the applications community.
The data provided by UKMO are produced by the the Met Office's Unified Model (UM). For subseasonal to seasonal (S2S) forecasts, the Met Office uses a specific configuration of the UM known as the Global Seasonal forecast system version 5 (GloSea5). This system simulates the interactions between the atmosphere, oceans, land surface, and sea ice. GloSea5 uses an ensemble prediction system, producing multiple forecasts (or ensemble members) for each forecast date. Each member starts with slightly different initial conditions to represent the uncertainty in the initial state of the atmosphere and ocean. The spread among ensemble members gives an indication of the forecast uncertainty.
Please consult the Documentation section provided with this entry since it is a crucial resource for understanding the dataset, as it provides all the necessary information, including data sources, model configurations, and limitations. Such information is vital in avoiding misuses of the data, which can result in lost time and efficiency, and prevent the production of harmful content. By fully understanding the dataset, users can utilize the data to its full potential and make informed decisions.
Data description
Data type | Gridded |
|---|---|
Projection | Regular Latitude-Longitude cartesian grid |
Horizontal coverage | Global |
Horizontal resolution | Approximately 60 km for atmospheric variables (N216). The ocean model has a horizontal resolution of approximately 25 km at the equator, with higher resolution near the North Pole. The frequency of coupling between the atmosphere, ocean, and sea ice components is every coupling timestep. |
Temporal coverage | From 1991 to present for hindcasts, and ongoing for real-time forecasts |
Temporal resolution | Sub-daily and daily |
File format | GRIB2, NetCDF |
Update frequency | Weekly for real-time forecasts, with hindcasts generated for past periods |
Vertical coverage | From the ocean bottom to the 0.01 hPa (approx. 80 km) atmospheric level |
Vertical resolution | 85 vertical atmospheric levels Up to 75 vertical oceanic levels, depending on the specific ocean model configuration Hybrid sigma-pressure vertical coordinate in the atmosphere and z-coordinate in the ocean |