Weather Prediction and the Scalability Challenge

“Weather prediction using high performance computing relies on having physically based models of the atmosphere that can deliver forecasts well in advance of the weather actually happening. ECMWF has embarked on a scalability program together with the NWP and climate modeling community in Europe. The talk will give an overview of the principles underlying numerical weather prediction as well as a description of the HPC related challenges that are facing the NWP and climate modeling communities today.”

Cray User Group Focuses on Scalability for Weather Forecasting

Global efforts to bring about crucial improvements in supercomputing efficiency and energy usage were placed center stage this week as the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) welcomed users and vendors from around the world to London for the Cray User Group 2016 conference.

DWD Weather Service in Germany Upgrades Cray Systems

Today Cray announced a contract to upgrade the supercomputers at Germany’s National Meteorological Service – the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD). Located in Offenbach, Germany, DWD is one of the world’s premier numerical weather prediction centers. “Supercomputers are absolutely vital to our mission of providing important meteorological services for the protection of life and property,” said. Dr. Jochen Dibbern, Member of the Executive Board at DWD. “Our Cray supercomputers are critical tools for our researchers and scientists, and it’s imperative that we equip our users with highly advanced supercomputing technologies.”

Video: Cray Powers More Accurate Forecasts at ECMWF

In this video, Al Roker from the Today Show looks at how Cray XC30 supercomputers give ECMWF more accurate forecasts than we get here in America. ECMWF uses advanced computer modeling techniques to analyze observations and predict future weather. Their assimilation system uses 40 million observations a day from more than 50 different instruments on satellites, and from many ground-based and airborne measurement systems.

ECMWF to Upgrade Cray XC Supercomputers for Weather Forecasting

Today Cray announced a $36 million contract to upgrade and expand the Cray XC supercomputers and Cray Sonexion storage system at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). When the project is completed, the enhanced systems will allow the world-class numerical weather prediction and research center to continue to drive improvements in its highly-complex models to provide more accurate weather forecasts.

Titan Supercomputer Powers the Future of Forecasting

Knowing how the weather will behave in the near future is indispensable for countless human endeavors. Now, researchers at ECMWF are leveraging the computational power of the Titan supercomputer at Oak Ridge to improve weather forecasting.