Modelling

Seaware StormGeo has access to all major global systems, such as the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and US-based National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP).

The ECMWF is a European modelling system for global analyses with a resolution of 0.125 degrees between calculation points. It is documented as the best weather forecasting model system in the world, and includes atmospheric variables such as wind, temperature and precipitation, in addition to waves offshore, amongst a wide variety of variables.

An important focus for the research and development department at Seaware StormGeo is the in-house modelling suite.

We are running limited area models for smaller and larger regional domains of scales, from a few hundred kilometres up to several thousand kilometres. The Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) is a state-of-the-art modelling system designed to run at very high horizontal resolution (down to a few hundred metres!).

We are currently using this model to increase the quality of the day-to-day weather forecasts, since a model at a higher resolution normally gives higher skill. The WRF is also used to provide the wind industry with extremely high-resolution wind and energy forecasts. This is done by nesting the global ECMWF down to a resolution of typically 1km between the grid points where weather is calculated.  This gives a considerably better representation of land sea contrasts and complex topography. 

High resolution in-house modelling in combination with the global models provides our customers with the best possible products in the market.