Information on how to access ECMWF forecast and archive data, as well as forecast charts, and other datasets.
If you are just beginning to explore the products available from ECMWF, the costs and what licence you might need, please start from our forecast charts and data pages.
Access to ECMWF products - forecast charts, forecast data and archive data
National meteorological services of ECMWF Member and Co-operating States are granted full access to ECMWF products. For other people, the type of customer you are (member of public, commercial, etc. ) and what you want to do with ECMWF products (provide a service, do research) governs the products that you can access, the licence you need and the cost.
Find more information on access to ECMWF products.
ECMWF free products
ECMWF open real-time forecast data.
ECMWF free forecast charts.
ECMWF free data (public data and WMO essential data).
Copernicus free products
Free data are also available through the Copernicus Climate Change and Atmosphere Monitoring Services:
If you want to explore the open and free of charge (see Copernicus Licence for details) data of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) please have a look here:
If you want to explore the open and free of charge (see Copernicus Licence for details) data of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) please have a look here:
For details on datasets and questions please have a look at the Copernicus knowledge base and CAMS and C3S Forum (C-Forum).
While the above products are free, you still need to check the licence for their use - you should find licence details with the products themselves.
Find out how to get ECMWF products
Real-time forecast charts
Our real-time forecast charts are public and free to all.
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.
See documentation on how to access real-time forecast data.
See the technical set up required for delivery of real-time forecast data.
See how to monitor dissemination of real-time forecast data.
See how to change your real-time forecast data requirements.
Archive (historical) data
Some of our archive data are public and free to all. Other archive data are restricted so you will need to order the data.
See documentation on how to access ECMWF archive data.
What do the terms real-time and archive mean?
Real-time forecast data - definition
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).
Archive data - definition
Archive (also referred to as historical) data refer to past data and include:
- expired real-time forecast data
- reanalysis data
- data from specific experiments or observational campaigns
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