- Created by Kathy Maskell, last modified by Maartje Kuilman on Nov 17, 2023
Find out how to get ECMWF real-time forecast data.
What do we mean by real-time forecast data?
Real-time forecast data, or 'valid' data, is all meteorological information in the form of pictures, charts, text or data files for which the verification time is in the future or less than 24 hours ago. This means that it can be used to predict the weather conditions. Real-time data are also referred to as valid data. Expired real-time data are any data with a verification time ‘more than 24 hours in the past’ (i.e. data which cannot be used to forecast).
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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