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ERA5 Reanalysis Model Level Data

ds633.6
| DOI: 10.5065/XV5R-5344
 
Abstract:

After many years of research and technical preparation, the production of a new ECMWF climate reanalysis to replace ERA-Interim is in progress. ERA5 is the fifth generation of ECMWF atmospheric reanalyses of the global climate, which started with the FGGE reanalyses produced in the 1980s, followed by ERA-15, ERA-40 and most recently ERA-Interim. ERA5 will cover the period January 1950 to near real time.

ERA5 is produced using high-resolution forecasts (HRES) at 31 kilometer resolution (one fourth the spatial resolution of the operational model) and a 62 kilometer resolution ten member 4D-Var ensemble of data assimilation (EDA) in CY41r2 of ECMWF's Integrated Forecast System (IFS) with 137 hybrid sigma-pressure (model) levels in the vertical, up to a top level of 0.01 hPa. Atmospheric data on these levels are interpolated to 37 pressure levels (the same levels as in ERA-Interim). Surface or single level data are also available, containing 2D parameters such as precipitation, 2 meter temperature, top of atmosphere radiation and vertical integrals over the entire atmosphere. The IFS is coupled to a soil model, the parameters of which are also designated as surface parameters, and an ocean wave model. Generally, the data is available at an hourly frequency and consists of analyses and short (12 hour) forecasts, initialized twice daily from analyses at 06 and 18 UTC. Most analyses parameters are also available from the forecasts. There are a number of forecast parameters, e.g. mean rates and accumulations, that are not available from the analyses.

Improvements to ERA5, compared to ERA-Interim, include use of HadISST.2, reprocessed ECMWF climate data records (CDR), and implementation of RTTOV11 radiative transfer. Variational bias corrections have not only been applied to satellite radiances, but also ozone retrievals, aircraft observations, surface pressure, and radiosonde profiles.

Please note: DECS is producing a CF 1.6 compliant netCDF-4/HDF5 version of ERA5 for the CISL RDA at NCAR. The netCDF-4/HDF5 version is the de facto RDA ERA5 online data format.

Temporal Range:
1979-01-01 00:00 +0000 to 2023-12-31 23:00 +0000 (Entire dataset) Period details by dataset product
Variables:
Specific Humidity Surface Pressure Upper Air Temperature U/V Wind Components
Vertical Wind Velocity/Speed
Vertical Levels:
See the detailed metadata for level information.
Data Types:
Grid
Spatial Coverage:
Longitude Range: Westernmost=180W Easternmost=180E
Latitude Range: Southernmost=89.785S Northernmost=89.785N Detailed coverage information
Data Contributors:
ECMWF
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
Total Volume:
376 TB (Entire dataset) Volume details by dataset product
Data Formats:
Related RDA Datasets:
 - 
ERA5 Reanalysis (0.25 Degree Latitude-Longitude Grid)
 - 
ERA5 Reanalysis (Monthly Mean 0.25 Degree Latitude-Longitude Grid)
 - 
ERA5.1: Corrections to ERA5 Stratospheric Temperature 2000-2006
 - 
ERA5 Modes of Interannual Variability
 - 
ERA5 back extension 1950-1978 (Preliminary version)
 - 
ERA5 monthly mean back extension 1950-1978 (Preliminary version)
More Details:
View a more detailed summary of the data, including specific date ranges and locations by parameter
Metadata Record:
Data License:
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