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This page contains a few rules on the UERRA parameters. A complete list of all the parameters and GRIB2 encoding is given here.

UERRA parameters rules

Units

All fields shall use units as defined in GRIB Edition 2

Accumulations

All accumulations shall start from the beginning of the forecast
The initial state (forecast step zero) shall be a part of all forecasts, all members, etc.
The values of accumulated fields shall be set to zero for t=0

Instantaneous fields

Instantaneous fields shall be archived with a frequency defined here for each group of parameters and forecast type.

Parameters archived since previous post-processing

Some parameters (2m tmin/tmax, 10m wind gust) shall be archived with varying lenght of time range intervals (0-1/1-2/2-3/4-5/5-6/6-9/9-12/../27-30 as per here)

Fluxes

The flux sign convention will be positive downwards.

Missing values

Bitmaps shall be used to indicate missing values (i.e. Soil temperature (st) shall be coded using a bitmap, because there is no model output over the sea)

Grid and resolution

Each partner will provide their eps data on their native grid.
Grids are defined in GRIB2 using an accuracy of 1/1000000 (one millionth) of a degree.

Types of forecasts

The Control Forecast must be number 0,
The number of members is identical to the number of all EPS members plus the Control Forecast.

GRIB2 encoding

ECMWF encoding/decoding Software

ECMWF makes available a GRIB decoding library (grib_api) for the benefit of the WMO community. grib_api can be freely downloaded from here and the documentation can be found here. The grib_api provides a simplified access to GRIB2 headers through a set of virtual keys documented here.

Encoding

1) UERRA production status of processed data

Octet 36 of section 1 of a GRIB2 message contains the Production status of processed data. The WMO has added two values to table 1.3 Production status of data:

8: UERRA operational products
9: UERRA test products

The value 9 should be used when testing and 8 for operational data.

2) Deterministic and ensemble data assimilation forecasts

Two types of datasets are expected for UERRA - outputs from deterministic and ensemble data assimiliation systems. How they should be encoded in GRIB2 is shown below.

Control and perturbed forecasts are identified in section 1 and 4. The following tables explains how to code them in GRIB2:

Both systems - deterministic and ensemble DA (analysis or forecast products)

Section 1
Octets		Analysis products	Forecast products
21	typeOfProcessedData	0	1

Deterministic system (both analysis and forecast products)

Section 4

Octets

Analysis and Forecast products (instantaneous)

Analysis and Forecast products (statisticially processed = accumulated/min/max values )

8-9

productDefinitionTemplateNumber

0

Analysis or forecast at a horizontal level or in a horizontal layer at a point in time (grib2/tables/17/4.0.table))

8

(Average, accumulation, extreme values or other statistically processed values at a horizontal level or in a horizontal layer in a continuous or non-continuous time interval (grib2/tables/17/4.0.table))

Ensembe DA system (both analysis and forecast products)

Section 4

Octets

Analysis and Forecast products (instantaneous)

Analysis and Forecast products (statisticially processed = accumulated/min/max values )

8-9

productDefinitionTemplateNumber

1

(Individual ensemble forecast, control and perturbed, at a horizontal level or in a horizontal layer at a point in time (grib2/tables/17/4.0.table))

11

(Individual ensemble forecast, control and perturbed, at a horizontal level or in a horizontal layer, in a continuous or non-continuous time interval (grib2/tables/17/4.0.table))

Ensemble (section 4, template 4.61)
Octets		Example for 2nd eps member of ensemble with 4 members (0/1/2/3)
35	type of ensemble forecast	255 (missing)
36	perturbation number	2
37	number of forecasts in ensemble	4

3) Time component of GRIB2 definition

Examples of GRIB2 files

	deterministic	ensemble DA
Accumulations
Instantaneous
Maximum since previous post-processing
Minimum since previous post-processing
Parameter on soil level
Parameter on soil layer