Start dateEnd date (short events)Event typeAffected dataDescription
01/01/202001/01/2020Technical outageMost of the data

A piece of code designed to cope with 2K year bug caused rejection of most of the data for 06 BC, 00 LWDA and 12 DA cycles. An emergency fix was implemented to fix the problem.

01/01/202014/01/2020 Technical outageSmall subset of Ocean in-situ data reporting in TAC: XBTs and CTDs Due to a technical problem a small subset of Ocean in-situ data reporting in TAC (XBTs and CTDs) were rejected. This  affected the NRT ocean5 data assimilation. The problem has been fixed and the missing data were re-processed. The delayed ocean5 data assimilation will not be affected.
03/01/202014/01/2020OutageFY-3B/MWHSCMA requested EUMETSAT to stop the distribution of the data due to a switch over of the scan mode. At the time of the outage the data quality was nominal
08/01/2020
Blacklist updateIn-situ data

Monthly update of in-situ data blacklist. In addition to the usual blacklist/whitelist of individual stations this update contains other significant changes: Activation of BUFR Radiosonde and PILOTs from CHINA. Activation BUFR SHIP BUOYS and deactivatation TAC counterparts.

Update: The blacklist was postponed for one day to fix a small technical issue causing a small reduction of Automatic SYNOPs in few areas. Problem fixed on 09/01/2020

09/01/2020
ActivationAeolus windsAfter months of successful  testing and improvement of the bias correction winds from Aeolus are activated. For more info please check https://www.ecmwf.int/en/about/media-centre/news/2020/ecmwf-starts-assimilating-aeolus-wind-data
13/01/2020
BlacklistMeteosat-11 AMV and ASRTemporary blacklist during Meteosat-11 SEVIRI decontamination
23/01/2020
New data monitoringPAZ GPSROMonitoring of GPSRO from the Spanish satellite PAZ (https://www.wmo-sat.info/oscar/satelliteprogrammes/view/123)
30/01/2020
Re-activationMeteosat-11 AMVs and ASR
The data  are activated further to a successful decontamination of SEVIRI. The data quality are unaffected.
31/01/202013/02/2020Data outageJason-3 (Surface wind, wave height and sea-level anomaly)Satellite in safe mode
04/02/202012/02/2020Data outageFY-3C data (MWHS2 and GNOS)FY-3C data suspended due to satellite platform maintenance
10/02/2020
Blacklist updateIn-situ dataMonthly update of in-situ data blacklist.
11/02/2020
Re-activationMetop-A/IASIRe-activation of Metop-A/IASI
11/02/202026/02/2020OutageTERRASAR-X and Tandem-X GPSROData absent in ECMWF system but available in other sites (ROM-SAF). Outage being investigated. Problem is caused by a change in the data encoding. Decoder updated
13/02/2020
temporary blacklistFY-3C MWHS2Data came back (after days of outage) with unexplained changes of bias. The data is blacklisted temporarily.
26/02/2020 02/03/2020Data outage Metop-C/IASIData unavailable due to instrument decontamination
27/02/2020
technical changeMetop-A/MHSDue to the failure of channel 2 data is used only over ocean when passing a test based on channel 1
27/02/2020
BlacklistGOES-15 CSRData from GOES-15 are blacklisted prior to the switch of of the satellite
04/03/2020
New dataMetop-C/GOME-2 Ozone
Started monitoring Metop-C/GOME-2 Ozone
09/03/2020
Blacklist updateIn-situ dataMonthly update of in-situ data blacklist.
13/03/2020
New data monitoringCOSMIC-2 GPSROMonitoring of COSMIC-2 GPSRO
25/03/2020
ActivationCOSMIC-2 GPSROCOSMIC-2 GPSRO used in operations
01/04/202005/04/2020Technical issueSea level anomaly (SLA)change from the data provider affected the pre-processing of SLA data used by the ocean5 data assimilation
02/04/2020
Re-activationFY-3C MWHS2Re-activation of FY-3C MWHS2 after confirmation from the data provider that no further spacecraft maintenance are expected. The change of bias has been stable. No impact noticed on random errors
07/04/2020
Blacklist updateIn-situ dataMonthly update of in-situ data blacklist.
21/04/2020
technical changeMETAR surface pressureQNH correction applied to METAR surface pressure (~19Pa in the USA and ~50Pa elsewhere)
22/04/2020
Data changeS-NPP CrISSwitch to FSR mode
17/04/2020
New data monitoringAFIRS AFIRS aircraft data are being monitoring in preparation of operational use
20/04/202023/04/2020BlacklistAeolustemporary blacklist to all bias correction to adjust to new settings
29/04/2020
New data monitoringTAMDAR TAMDAR aircraft data are being monitoring in preparation of operational use
11/05/2020
New data monitoringSPIRE GPSROSPIRE data monitored in the operational system ahead of activation
12/05/2020
Blacklist updateIn-situ dataMonthly update of in-situ data blacklist. It contains additional changes: Activation of AFIRS data, update of station catalogue, extra SYNOPS from Brazil and few migrations to BUFR Radiosondes
12/05/2020
ActivationAFIRS aircraft data Additional data received during the COVID-19 to improve the  coverage of aircraft data
13/05/2020
ActivationFY-3D MWRIActivation of FY-3D MWRI in all sky mode
13/05/2020
ActivationNOAA20 VIIRS AMVsActivation of NOAA20 VIIRS AMVs
13/05/2020
Activation SPIRE GPSROSPIRE GPSRO activated
17/05/2020
OutageFY-3C GNOSData are not expected to come back due to the announcement by CMA on the 25th of May
25/05/202029/05/2020BlacklistAeolus Blacklist Aeolus during telescope tests period
26/05/2020
OutageFY-3C MWHS2 EARSThis was due to the decision by CMA to switch off HRPT due to power supply issues onboard the satellite. As a result the timeliness of MWHS2 degraded substantially
01/06/2020
Permanent outageFY-3B/MWHSThis was due to the decision by CMA to retire FY-3B
09/06/2020
Blacklist updateIn-situ dataMonthly update of in-situ data blacklist
17/06/2020
ActivationTAMDARActive use of TAMDAR data
17/06/2020
ActivationGerman TEMP descent data Activation of German TEMP descent data
06/07/202010/07/2020BlacklistAeolusBlacklist of Aeolus during a planned M1 telescope thermal control test
05/07/202007/07/2020Technical issuesurface pressure observationstemporary switch off of the bias correction scheme
08/07/2020
Blacklist updateIn-situ dataMonthly update of in-situ data blacklist
08/07/202022/09/2020Technical issueKOMPSAT-5 GPSROA technical issue (associated to the number of vertical levels) preventing the processing of KOMPSAT-5.
13/07/2020
OutageCryosat-2Sea level anomaly due to on-going orbit change
15/07/2020
Technical changeMetop-C ASCATActivation of bias correction for Metop-C ASCAT
28/07/2020
ActivationMODE-S aircraft data (wind only)
Activation of MODE-S aircraft data
28/07/2020
Technical changeVswitch for wind from aircraft observationsA conditional correction to the V component of the wind when affected by gross errors (Known problem affecting B787 aircraft under certain conditions)
11/08/2020
Blacklist update In-situ data Monthly update of in-situ data blacklist
11/08/2020
Technical changeprocessing of stations using WIGOS station identifiers processing of stations exclusively using WIGOS station identifiers
17/08/202003/09/2020OutageAll AQUA data (AIRS, AMSUA and MODIS AMVs)Due to an issue with the solid state recorder (SSR) no data is being received from AQUA. The instruments appear to be working fine
19/08/202026/08/2020OutageGPM/GMICommunication  issue with the satellite
10/09/2020
BlocklistAQUA/AMSUA Ch14Sudden increase of bias and noise of AQUA/AMSUA Ch14. Data is not used temporarily.
14/09/2020
Update monthly data selection in-situ data Monthly update of in-situ data selection
15/09/2020
Data selection updateS-NPP CrISreactivate S-NPP CrIS water vapour channels following migration to full
spectral resolution
15/09/2020
Technical changeAMVsImproved AMV QC
21/09/202011/10/2020BlocklistAeolusExclusion of Aeolus during laser testing
29/09/2020
Technical changeMicrowave sounders
  • Facilitate use of humidity sounders in all-sky when either window channel is broken,
      specifically for Metop-A MHS.
  • Fix to correct the azimuth angle of NOAA sensors.
  • changes to correctly screen passive all-sky AMSU-A data (incl. spinning up
      bias corrections for Metop-C AMSU-A)
30/09/2020
Data blocked Re-formatted SYNOP stream (KWBC) These are SYNOP provide in TAC after conversion from BUFR. The data are duplicates and on occasions have inconsistent values for some parameters
01/10/2020
Service terminationSPIRE GPSROAccess to SPIRE GPSRO has been terminated
08/10/2020
Data selection updatein-situ dataMonthly update of in-situ data selection. The change include temporary denial of new stations provided in the context of SEE-MHEWS-A to allow their evaluation. The update includes also the re-activation of a large number of B787 aircraft identifiers that were previously denied due to intermittent wind issues
12/10/2020
Land surface data selection updateSurface variables: T2M, RH2M and snowMonthly update of in-situ land surface data selection. The change include temporary denial of new stations provided in the context of SEE-MHEWS-A to allow their evaluation
02/11/2020
Data selection updateAIRS (Channel 1019) and CrIS (Channel 457)Channels with intermittent low data counts
10/11/2020
Data selection updatein-situ data Monthly update of in-situ data selection
11/11/2020
Data resumption Cryosat-2 SLA We resumed using Cryosat-2 SLA after SLA data are adapted to the new satellite orbit
12/11/2020
Land surface data selection updateSurface variables: T2M, RH2M and snowUpdate of data selection for land surface data assimilation (2m temperature, 2m relative humidity and snow). This update contains few suspect observations in addition to previously excluded observations that are not improved or not reporting. Most SEE-MHEWS-A observations are activated except the ones not reporting (mainly snow)
10/11/202017/11/2020Data quality issuesNew Aircraft data from BrazilBad aircraft winds over Brazil (using the WIGOS BUFR format and with identifiers starting with PP (bulletins IUAX?? from SBBR). Data stopped from SAPP initially but then stopped by the data provider
18/11/202020/11/2020Data outageAeolus
Aeolus instrument test (laser cold plate temperature adjustments)
25/11/2020
New data monitoredNOAA20 OMPS ozonehttps://www.ecmwf.int/en/forecasts/charts/obstat/?facets=Parameter,Ozone%3BInstrument,OMPS
01/12/2020
Data outageAQUA AMSUAIssues affecting the AQUA AMSU processing
04/12/202014/12/2020Data outageAeolus (Rayleigh wind only)
Increased variability of the bias (being investigated)
08/12/2020
Data selection updatein-situ dataMonthly update of in-situ data selection
07/12/2020
Data outageAQUA AIRS
09/12/202014/12/2020Data outageMetop-C IASIMetop-C IASI decontamination and onboard software update
14/12/2020
Land surface data selection updateSurface variables: T2M, RH2M and snow
17/12/2020
Technical changeMETARDisabled METAR QNH correction for stations reporting in 0.01 inch Hg