News

On 1 October 2019, Jean-Noël Thépaut took up his post as Director of Copernicus Services at ECMWF. In an interview, he explains what has been achieved since 2014 and how he intends to develop the Copernicus services implemented by the Centre.

More than 100 experts meeting in Denmark from 19 to 25 September are reviewing the use of satellite-to-satellite observations in weather forecasting. ECMWF scientists attending the meeting will set out how such ‘radio occultation’ data help to define the initial conditions for forecasts and to develop forecasting systems.

A recent EU herogram highlights the flood prediction work done at ECMWF to help the EU protect people from natural hazards. The Centre’s flood-related activities include research and operations.

Twenty-five experts set out progress and future prospects for sub-seasonal and seasonal predictions at ECMWF’s Annual Seminar 2019 from 2 to 5 September. This flagship event in ECMWF’s calendar was attended by more than 100 participants from 22 countries.

The ECMWF team who developed the Copernicus Climate Change Service’s Climate Data Store received the European Meteorological Society Technology Achievement Award 2019 in Copenhagen on 9 September 2019.

ECMWF’s Annual Seminar from 2 to 5 September 2019 focuses on recent progress and future prospects in sub-seasonal and seasonal forecasting. Laura Ferranti, one of the organisers of this flagship event in ECMWF’s calendar, has decades of experience in the field.

Several European national and city temperature records tumbled this summer during two separate heatwaves in June and July. How well can such extreme events be predicted using a state-of-the-art global forecasting system?

Unusually high levels of wildfire activity within the Arctic Circle monitored since the second week of June 2019 have continued well into August, data from the EU-funded Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service implemented by ECMWF show.

On 1 August 1979 ECMWF produced its first operational medium-range forecast for Member States. This major achievement marked the first milestone on the road towards producing useful weather forecasts beyond two to three days.

ECMWF news highlights in the first seven months of 2019 include an upgrade of ECMWF’s Integrated Forecasting System that greatly improved forecasts; a series of events to drive forward numerical weather prediction; an assessment of ground-breaking new wind data; and the appointment of a new Director of Copernicus Services.