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RTOFS produces a number of different GRiB files. Surface fields are
produced every hour and full-volume fields are produced every 24 hours.
A 24-hour nowcast, or analysis, is run and is followed by forecasts out
to 120 hours.
For the full-volume gribs we produce two distinctly different types. The
first type contain the model data referenced to the native horizontal grid
and the vertical hybrid coordinates. The second type is also referenced on
the native horizontal grid but the vertical coordinates have been
interpolated to 40 fixed depths.
For the surface gribs we produce two different types as well. The first
type are the surface values on the native horizontal grid while the second
type are gribs that have been interpolated to a rectangular (or standard)
latitude-longitude grid. Finally, some of the standard lat/lon GRiB files
have been subsetted, or reduced to a smaller domain. The subdomain is
indicated with an abbreviation as part of the file name.
More information on the model grids defined in the RTOFS GRiB
files can be found in the
NCO Master List of NCEP Storage Grids.
RTOFS GRiB file name conventions
- ofs_atl.t00z.[lnnn].[3d].[region1].grb - hybrid curvilinear coord. system grid
- ofs_atl.t00z.[lnnn].[region2].grb.std - interpolated to standard lat-lon grid
where
- l = nowcast/forecast and surface/volume indicator:
- n - nowcast surface fields only
- N - nowcast full volume fields
- f - forecast surface fields only
- F - forecast full volume fields
- nnn = the forecast hour. For nowcasts, these numbers start at -23 and go forward
to 000 (n-23, n-22, n-21, ... n-02, n-01, n000).
- 3d = if present then the grib file contains all the fields and on the native grid.
- region1 = the files are subsetted to a smaller region (if no region is specified in the filename then it
the grib is the full Atlantic basin). The subdomain abbreviations are
as follows:
- g_mx - Gulf of Mexico
- nw_atl_north - Northwest northern Atlantic
- nw_atl_mid - Northwest middle Atlantic
- nw_atl_south - Northwest southern Atlantic
- region2 =
- atl - full basin
- gm - Gulf of Mexico
- gma - Gulf of Maine
- gs - Gulf Stream region
GRiB file name examples
| GRiB file name |
Description |
| ofs_atl.t00z.F024.grb | 24 hour forecast, full volume at Z-levels |
| ofs_atl.t00z.F024.3d.grb | 24 hour forecast, full volume at native levels |
| |
| ofs_atl.t00z.F024.3d.g_mx.grb | 24 hour forecast, full volume, gulf of mexico region at native levels |
| ofs_atl.t00z.F024.3d.nw_atl_mid.grb | 24 hour forecast, full volume, middle Atlantic region at native levels |
| ofs_atl.t00z.F024.3d.nw_atl_north.grb | 24 hour forecast, full volume, northern Atlantic region at native levels |
| ofs_atl.t00z.F024.3d.nw_atl_south.grb | 24 hour forecast, full volume, southern Atlantic region at native levels |
| |
| ofs_atl.t00z.f001.grb | 1 hour surface, partial set |
| ofs_atl.t00z.f001.3d.grb | 1 hour surface, all fields |
| |
| ofs_atl.t00z.f001.3d.g_mx.grb | 1 hour forecast, surface, Gulf of Mexico region |
| ofs_atl.t00z.f001.3d.nw_atl_mid.grb | 1 hour forecat, surface, middle Atlantic region |
| ofs_atl.t00z.f001.3d.nw_atl_north.grb | 1 hour forecat, surface, northern Atlantic region |
| ofs_atl.t00z.f001.3d.nw_atl_south.grb | 1 hour forecat, surface, southern Atlantic region |
| |
| ofs_atl.t00z.f001.atl.grb.std | 1 hour forecast, lat-lon grid, Atlantic basin |
| ofs_atl.t00z.f001.gm.grb.std | 1 hour forecast, lat-lon grid, Gulf of Mexico region |
| ofs_atl.t00z.f001.gma.grb.std | 1 hour forecast, lat-lon grid, Gulf of Maine region |
| ofs_atl.t00z.f001.gs.grb.std | 1 hour forecast, lat-lon grid, Gulf Stream region |
RTOFS GRiB Parameter Names and Definitions
Daily full-basin volumetric fields, native horizontal coordinates,
fixed-depth vertical coordinates
(ofs_atl.t00z.N000.grb, ofs_atl.t00z.F024.grb)
| Parameter Name |
Definition [units] |
| DZDT | Geometric vertical velocity [m/s] - 40 Z-levels |
| SSHG | Sea Surface Height Relative to Geoid [m] |
| MIXHT | Mixed layer depth [m] |
| UOGRD | u of current [m/s] - 40 Z-levels |
| VOGRD | v of current [m/s] - 40 Z-levels |
| WTMPC | Temperature [C] - 40 Z-levels |
| SALIN | Salinity [psu] - 40 Z-levels |
| LOUV | Longitude of U wind component of velocity [deg] |
| LAUV | Latitude of U wind component of velocity [deg] |
| LOVV | Longitude of V wind component of velocity [deg] |
| LAVV | Latitude of V wind component of velocity [deg] |
| LOPP | Longitude of pressure point [deg] |
| LAPP | Latitude of pressure point [deg] |
Daily volumetric fields, native horizontal coordinates, hybrid vertical coordinates
(ofs_atl.t00z.N000.3d.grb, ofs_atl.t00z.F024.3d.grb,
ofs_atl.t00z.F024.3d.[region1].grb)
| Parameter Name |
Definition [units] |
| EMNP | Evaporation - Precipitation [cm/day] |
| LHTFL | Latent heat flux [W/m^2] |
| SHTFL | Sensible heat flux [W/m^2] |
| SSHG | Sea Surface Height Relative to Geoid [m] |
| MNTSF | Montgomery stream function [m^2/s^2] |
| UMLU | U Velocity in mixed layer [m/s] |
| UMLV | V Velocity in mixed layer [m/s] |
| MIXHT | Mixed layer depth [m] |
| OMLT | Mixed Layer Temperature [C] |
| OMLS | Salinity [psu] |
| OMLPOTDEN | Ocean Mixed Layer Potential Density (Referenced to 2000m) [kg/m^3] |
| UBARO | Barotropic U Velocity [m/s] |
| VBARO | Barotropic V Velocity [m/s] |
| UOGRD | u of current [m/s] - native levels |
| VOGRD | v of current [m/s] - native levels |
| LAYTH | Layer Thickness[m] - native levels |
| WTMPC | Temperature [C] - native levels |
| SALIN | Salinity [psu] - native levels |
| DEN | Density [kg/m^3] - native levels |
| LOUV | Longitude of U wind component of velocity [deg] |
| LAUV | Latitude of U wind component of velocity [deg] |
| LOVV | Longitude of V wind component of velocity [deg] |
| LAVV | Latitude of V wind component of velocity [deg] |
| LOPP | Longitude of pressure point [deg] |
| LAPP | Latitude of pressure point [deg] |
Hourly full basin surface fields, native horizontal coordinates, fixed
depth vertical coordinates
(ofs_atl.t00z.n-23.grb, ofs_atl.t00z.n000.grb, ofs_atl.t00z.f001.grb)
| Parameter Name |
Definition [units] |
| SSHG | Sea Surface Height Relative to Geoid [m] |
| MNTSF | Montgomery stream function [m^2/s^2] |
| MIXHT | Mixed layer depth [m] |
| UBARO | Barotropic U Velocity [m/s] |
| VBARO | Barotropic V Velocity [m/s] |
| UOGRD | u of current [m/s] |
| VOGRD | v of current [m/s] |
| WTMPC | Temperature [C] |
| SALIN | Salinity [psu] |
| LOUV | Longitude of U wind component of velocity [deg] |
| LAVV | Latitude of U wind component of velocity [deg] |
| LOVV | Longitude of V wind component of velocity [deg] |
| LAVV | Latitude of V wind component of velocity [deg] |
| LOPP | Longitude of pressure point [deg] |
| LAPP | Latitude of pressure point [deg] |
Hourly surface fields, native horizontal coordinates, hybrid
vertical coordinates
(ofs_atl.t00z.f001.3d.grb, ofs_atl.t00z.f001.3d.[region1].grb)
| Parameter Name |
Definition [units] |
| EMNP | Evaporation - Precipitation [cm/day] |
| LHTFL | Latent heat flux [W/m^2] |
| SHTFL | Sensible heat flux [W/m^2] |
| SSHG | Sea Surface Height Relative to Geoid [m] |
| MNTSF | Montgomery stream function [m^2/s^2] |
| OMLU | U Velocity in mixed layer [m/s] |
| OMLV | V Velocity in mixed layer [m/s] |
| MIXHT | Ocean Mixed layer depth [m] |
| OMLT | Ocean Mixed Layer Temperature [C] |
| OMLS | OCean Mixed Layer Salinity [psu] |
| OMLPOTDEN | Ocean Mixed Layer Potential Density (Referenced to 2000m) [kg/m^3] |
| UBARO | Barotropic U Velocity [m/s] |
| VBARO | Barotropic V Velocity [m/s] |
| UOGRD | u of current [m/s] |
| VOGRD | v of current [m/s] |
| LAYTH | Layer Thickness[m] |
| WTMPC | Temperature [C] |
| SALIN | Salinity [psu] |
| DEN | Density [kg/m^3] |
| LOUV | Longitude of U wind component of velocity [deg] |
| LAUV | Latitude of U wind component of velocity [deg] |
| LOVV | Longitude of V wind component of velocity [deg] |
| LAVV | Latitude of V wind component of velocity [deg] |
| LOPP | Longitude of pressure point [deg] |
| LAPP | Latitude of pressure point [deg] |
Daily surface fields, rectangular lat/lon horizontal coordinates
(ofs_atl.t00z.f001.[region2].grb.std)
| Parameter Name |
Definition [units] |
| WTMP | Water temp. [K] |
| DSLM | Deviation of sea level from mean [m] |
| SALTY | Salinity [kg/kg] |
| UOGRD | u of current [m/s] |
| VOGRD | v of current [m/s] |
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