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TABLE 2 Major Operational Implementations and Computer Acquisitions at NMC
between 1955 and 1985
Year Operational Model Computer Acquisition
April 1985 GFDL physics implemented on the global
spectral model with silhouette orography,
R40=18 layers
Dec. 1986 New optimal inter polation code with
new statistics
1987 2nd Cyber 205
Aug. 1987 Increased resolution to T80=18 layers,
Penman-Montieth evapotranspiration
and other improved physics (Caplan and
White, 1989; Pan, 1989)
Dec. 1988 Implementation of hydrostatic complex
quality control (Gandin, 1988)
1990 Cray YMP=8cpu=
32 megawords
Mar. 1991 Increased resolution to T126 L18 and
improved physics, mean orography
(Kanamitsu et al., 1991)
June 1991 New 3D variational data assimilation
(Parrish and Derber, 1992;
Derber et al., 1991)
Nov. 1991 Addition of increments, horizontal, and
vertical OI checks to the CQC
(Collins and Gandin, 1990)
Dec. 7, 1992 First ensemble system: one pair of bred
forecasts at 00Z to 10 days, extension
of AVN to 10 days (Toth and Kalnay,
1993; Tracton and Kalnay, 1993)
Aug. 1993 Simplified Arakawa-Schubert cumulus
convection (Pan and Wu, 1995).
Resolution T126=28 layers
Jan. 1994 Cray C90=16cpu=
128 megawords
March 1994 Second ensemble system: 5 pairs of bred
forecasts at 00Z, 2 pairs at 12Z, extension
of AVN, a total of 17 global forecasts
every day to 16 days
Jan. 10, 1995 New soil hydrology (Pan and
Mahrt, 1987), radiation, clouds,
improved data assimilation;
reanalysis model
(continued)
106
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF NUMERICAL WEATHER PREDICTION
TABLE 2 (Continued)
Year Operational Model Computer Acquisition
Oct. 25, 1995 Direct assimilation of TOVS
cloud-cleared radiances (Derber
and Wu, 1997). New PBL based
on nonlocal diffusion (Hong and
Pan, 1996); improved CQC
Cray C90=16cpu=
256 megawords
Nov. 5, 1997 New observational error statistics;
changes to assimilation of TOVS
radiances and addition of other
data sources
Jan. 13, 1998 Assimilation of non cloud-cleared
radiances (Derber et al., pers. comm.);
improved physics
June 1998 Resolution increased to T170=40 layers
(to 3.5 days); improved physics;
3D ozone data assimilation and
forecast; nonlinear increments
in 3D; VAR
Adapted from Shuman (1989).
TABLE 3 Major Changes in the NMC=NCEP Regional Modeling and Data
Assimilation Since 1985
Year Operational Model Computer
March 1985 Regional Analysis and Forecast System
(RAFS) based on the triply Nested Grid
Model (NGM; Phillips, 1979) and
optimal interpolation (OI; DiMego, 1988);
resolution: 80 km=16 layers
Cyber 205
August 1991 RAFS upgraded for the last time: NGM run
with only two grids with inner g rid
domain doubled in size; Implemented
Regional Data Assimilation System
(RDAS) with 3 hourly updates using
an improved OI analysis using all
off-time data including Profiler and
ACARS wind repor ts (DiMego et al.,
1992) and complex quality control
procedures (Gandin et al., 1993)
Cray YMP
8 processors
32 megawords
June 1993 First operational implementation of
the Eta model in the 00Z & 12Z early
run for North America at 80 km and 38
layer resolution (Mesinger et al., 1988;
Janjic, 1994; Black et al., 1994)
(continued)
4 OPERATIONAL NUMERICAL PREDICTION 107
TABLE 3 (Continued)
Year Operational Model Computer
September 1994 The Rapid Update Cycle (RUC;
Benjamin et al., 1994) was
implemented for CONUS domain
with 3 hourly OI updates at
60-km resolution on 25 hybrid
(sigma-theta) vertical levels
Cray C-90
16 processors
128 megawords
September 1994 Early Eta analysis upg rades (Rogers
et al., 1995)
August 1995 Mesoscale version of the Eta model
(Black, 1994) was implemented
at 03Z and 15Z for an extended
CONUS domain, with 29-km and
50-layer resolution and with NMC’s
first predictive cloud scheme
(Zhao and Black, 1994) and new
coupled land–surface–atmosphere
package (2 layer soil)
Cray C-90
16 processors
256 megawords
October 1995 Major upgrade of early Eta runs: 48-km
resolution, cloud scheme and Eta Data
Assimilation System (EDAS) using
3 hourly OI updates (Rogers et al., 1996)
January 1996 New coupled land–surface–atmosphere
scheme put into early Eta runs
(Chen et al., 1997; Mesinger, 1997)
July–August 1996 Nested capability demonstrated with
twice daily support runs for Atlanta
Olympic Games with 10-km 60-layer
version of Meso Eta
February 1997 Upgrade package implemented in the
early and Meso Eta runs
February 1998 Early Eta runs upgraded to 32 km and
45 levels with 4 soil layers; OI
analysis replaced by 3-dimensional
variational (3D-VAR) with new
data sources; EDAS now partially
cycled (soil moisture, soil temperature,
cloud water=ice, and turbulent
kinetic energy)
April 1998 RUC (3 hourly) replaced by hourly
RUC II system with extended
CONUS domain, 40-km and
40-level resolution, additional
data sources and extensive
physics upgrades
108
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF NUMERICAL WEATHER PREDICTION
nates, and physical parameterizations, was implemented in 1993, with the same
80-km horizontal resolution as the NGM. It was denoted ‘‘early’’ because of a
short data cutoff. The resolution was increased to 48 km, and a first ‘‘mesoscale’’
version with 29 km and reduced coverage was implemented in 1995. A cloud prog-
nostic scheme was implemented in 1995, and a new land-surface parameterization in
1996. The OI data assimilation was replaced by a 3D-VAR analysis in 1998, and at
this time the early and meso-Eta models were unified into a 32-km= 45-level version.
Many other less significant changes were also introduced into the global and regional
operational systems and are not listed here for the sake of brevity. The Rapid Update
Cycle (RUC), which provides frequent updates of the analysis and very short-range
forecasts over the continental United States (CONU S), developed at NOAA’s
Forecast System Laboratory, was implemented in 1994 and upgraded in 1998
(Benjamin et al., 1994).
The 36-h S
1
forecast verification scores constitute the longest record of forecast
verification available anywhere. They were started in the late 1940s for subjec tive
surface forecasts, before operational computer forecast guidance, and for 500 hPa in
1954, with the first numerical forecasts. Figure 1 includes the forecast scores for
500 hPa from 1954 until the present, as well as the scores for the 72-h forecasts. It is
clear that the forecast skill has improved substantially over the years, and that the
current 36-h 500-hPa forecasts are close to a level that in the 1950s would have been
considered ‘‘perfect’’ (Shuman, 1989). The 72-h forecasts have also improved and
are now as accurate as the 36-h forecasts were about 15 years ago.
Figure 5 shows threat scores for precipitation predictions made by expert fore-
casters from the NCEP Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC, the Meteoro-
logical Operati ons Division of the former NMC). The threat score (TS) is defined as
the intersection of the predicted area of precipitation exceeding a particular threshold
(P), in this case 0.5 inches in 24 h, and the observed area (O), divided by the union
of the two areas: TS ¼(P \O)=(P [O). The bias (not shown) is defined by P=O. The
TS, also known as critical success index (CSI) is a particularly useful score for
quantities that are relatively rare. Figure 4 indicates that the forecasters’ skill in
predicting accumulated precipitation has been increasing with time, and that the
current average skill in the 2-day forecas t is as good as the 1-day forecasts were
in the 1970s. Beyond the first 6 to 12 h, the forecasts are based mostly on numerical
TABLE 3 (Continued)
Year Operational Model Computer
June 1998 Meso runs connected to early runs
as single 4 day system for North
American domain at 32-km and
45-level resolution, 15z run moved
to 18z, added new snow analysis;
all runs connected with EDAS,
which is fully cycled for all variables
From compilations by Fedor Mesinger and Geoffrey DiMego, personal communication, 1998.
4 OPERATIONAL NUMERICAL PREDICTION 109
guidance, so that the improvement reflects, to a large extent, improvements of the
numerical forecasts, which the human forecasters in turn improve upon based on
their knowledge and expertise. The forecasters also have access to several model
forecasts, and they use their judgm ent in assessing which one is more accurate in
each case. This constitutes a major source of the ‘‘value-added’’ by the human
forecasters.
The relationship between the evolution of human and numerical forecasts is
clearly shown in a record compiled by the late F. Hughes (1987), reproduced in
Figure 6. It is the first operational score maintained for the ‘‘medium-range’’ (beyond
the first 2 days of the forecasts). The score used by Hughes was a standardized
anomaly correlation (SAC), which accounted for the larger variability of sea level
pressure at higher latitudes compared to lower latitudes. The fact that until 1976 the
3-day forecas t scores from the model were essentially const ant is an indication that
their rather low skill was more based on synoptic experience than on model
guidance. The forecast skill started to improve after 1977 for the 3-day forecast,
and after 1980 for the 5-day forecast. Note that the human forecasts are on the
average significantly more skillful than the numerical guidance, but it is the improve-
ment in NWP forecasts that drives the improvements in the subjective forecasts.
5 THE FUTURE
The last decades have seen the expectations of Charney (1951) fulfilled and an
amazing improvement in the quality of the forecasts based on NWP guidance.
Figure 5 Threat scores of human forecasters at NCEP. (Data courtesy of J. Hoke.)
110
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF NUMERICAL WEATHER PREDICTION
The next decade will continue seeing improvements, especially in the following
areas:
Detailed short-range forecasts, using storm-scale models able to provide
skillful predictions of severe weather
More sophisticated methods of data assimilation able to extract the maximum
possible information from observing systems, especially remote sensors such
as satellites and radars
Development of adaptive observing systems, where additional obser vations
are placed where ensembles indicate that there is rapid error growth (low
predictability)
Improvement in the usefulness of medium-range forecasts, especially through
the use of ensemble forecasting
Fully coupled atmospheric-hydrological systems, where the atmospheric model
precipitation is appropriately scaled down and used to extend the length of
river flow prediction
More use of detailed atmosphere–ocean–land coupled models, where the effect
of long-lasting coupled anomalies such as sea surface temperatures (SST) and
Figure 6 Hughes data: comparison of the forecast skill in the medium-range from NWP
guidance and from human forecasters.
5 THE FUTURE 111
soil moisture anomalies leads to more skillful predictions of anomalies in
weather patterns beyond the limit of weather predictability (about 2 weeks)
More guidance to government and the public on areas such as air pollution,
ultraviolet (UV) radiation and transport of contaminants, which affect health
An explosive growth of systems with emphasis on commercial applications of
NWP, from guidance on the state of highways to air pollution, flood prediction,
guidance to agriculture, construction, etc.
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