ECMWF has opened a forum for its users to post comments on topics related to weather and forecasting, join conversations and provide feedback to the Centre.
The new Forecast User Forum is an addition to the existing forecast user pages, such as the Forecast User Guide and Severe Event Catalogue. It is designed to provide a space where users of ECMWF forecasts can interact with other users as well as ECMWF experts.
Any feedback and comments received may be used in ECMWF’s ongoing research and diagnostics work.
The Forecast User Forum is divided into three categories:
- Current and recent weather
- Featured feedback topics
- Using ECMWF’s Forecasts (UEF) events and training
Current and recent weather
This is intended for the discussion of ongoing or recent weather events and their forecasts that are of interest to ECMWF's forecast user community.
Users can select an entry from a list of categories, including the extra-tropics, the tropics, seasonal forecasting, the ocean, the stratosphere, and hydrology and flooding, or they can create a new topic.
Images such as forecast charts and weather photos can be attached to forum posts to enhance discussions.
Von Kármán vortex clouds swirl off the Canary Islands, Spain, on 19 April 2021. (©European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-3 imagery, processed by @DEFIS_EU)
Featured feedback topics
This space features discussion topics that ECMWF would like to receive feedback on from forecast users.
It may include questions on specific aspects of ECMWF's forecasts, or topics related to ongoing research and model development work at ECMWF.
Topics in this space are created by ECMWF, but they may be suggested by forecast users, who can also comment and reply on any topic.
Featured feedback topics may be about a variety of issues.
UEF events and training
This is for discussions related to recent, ongoing, or upcoming Using ECMWF's Forecasts events, and for suggestions and ideas related to future training courses.
Users can select the most appropriate sub-forum from a list to search for existing posts and create new discussion topics related to that event.
UEF events take place every year at ECMWF. The photo shows a small group discussion at ECMWF in 2019.
Useful links
The ECMWF Forecast User Forum is made up of the three sections outlined above: Current and recent weather; Featured feedback topics; and Using ECMWF’s Forecasts (UEF) events and training.
To find out more information about the forum, you can watch the UEF2021 Forecast User Forum 5-minute lightning talk recording. Users of ECMWF’s forecasts may also be interested in other forums, such as the Copernicus User Support Forum or the OpenIFS Forums.
"We are always interested in the experiences and feedback of our forecast users," says ECMWF's Rebecca Emerton. "We will be monitoring discussions, joining the conversations, and considering feedback and comments in our work."
Happy posting!