Global Forecast System Model Output on a 2.5-Degree Grid

NCEP GFS Model runs produce global atmospheric forecasts on a 73x144 point latitude/longitude grid at a 2.5-degree resolution. Forecasts are generated four times daily, projecting conditions from 22 hours to 16 days ahead at multiple vertical levels. The dataset is provided by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and was last updated in December 2015.

Use Cases

• Analyze forecast evolution by comparing temperature or pressure fields from the 0Z and 12Z model runs.
• Validate model performance against observations using the 1000 to 100 hPa mandatory pressure level data.
• Study large-scale atmospheric patterns using the 2.5-degree resolution global latitude/longitude grid points.
• Assess forecast skill for surface and height-above-ground variables across the 22-hour to 16-day forecast range.

Strengths

• Provides a structured global grid of 73 by 144 points (10,512 points per vertical level).
• Offers forecasts at 10 mandatory pressure levels from 1000 to 100 hPa, plus surface and height-above-ground layers.
• Model runs are produced four times daily (0, 6, 12, 18Z), enabling frequent analysis.

Limitations

• The dataset's last known update was in 2015, making it temporally stale for current forecasting applications.
• The 2.5-degree horizontal resolution is coarse, limiting analysis of mesoscale or regional weather phenomena.
• Specific data volume, file formats, and column details are unknown, complicating integration.

Provenance

Source

National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Global Forecast System (GFS) model.

Collection Method

Numerical weather prediction model output processed for the AWIPS 228 (A) grid.

Time Range

Forecasts from 22 to 384 hours (up to 16 days) from each model run time.

Freshness

Last updated 2015-12-02; update frequency was four model runs per day.

Geography

Global coverage on a latitude/longitude grid.