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Sea-surface temperature are initialised using analyses received daily from the Met Office (OSTIA, 5 km resolution). Additionally  Additionally NEMO, and the LIM2 subprogram within it, forecast changes in the sea-surface temperature (SST) and sea ice evolution.  Output  The Louvain-la-Neuve Sea Ice Model (LIM2) is a prognostic sea-ice model that deals with the dynamic and thermodynamic evolution of the sea surface so that sea-ice cover evolves dynamically.  It is incorporated into the dynamic ocean model (NEMO).    Output from these programs are used interactively by all IFS atmospheric models.  HRES uses the same initial ice extent as ENS.

Note: ECMWF uses LIM2 which is an earlier version of the Louvain-la-Neuve sea ice model currently available (Version 3.6)    .

Throughout the forecast period the changing extent of sea-ice and the variation of the ice shelf with time have important effects upon the energy and moisture balance at the atmosphere/surface boundary. The ice extent will change through the forecast period in response to sea temperatures and air temperatures, ocean currents and wind.

The impacts of differently-evolving SST and ice cover distributions should be considered when comparing different forecasts, even when they are from the same data time.

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