David Richardson

Contractor
Forecast Department, Evaluation Section

Summary:

David Richardson is Head of the Evaluation Section at ECMWF. He has over 30 years’ experience in weather forecasting research and operations, including use and monitoring of the global observing system, development of numerical weather prediction models, ensemble forecasting, products and tools for forecast users, and evaluation of all aspects of forecast performance. He has published numerous scientific papers as well as book chapters on these topics.

David has served on several WMO committees and is currently chair of the WMO Expert Team on Operational Weather Forecasting Process and Support, which oversees the co-ordination of operational NWP activities among WMO member states.

Professional interests:
  • Forecast verification
  • Diagnostics of forecast model behaviour
  • Forecast products, probability forecasts and communication of uncertainty
  • Statistical post-processing of ensemble forecasts
  • Ensemble forecasting methods
Career background:
  • 2013–present: Head of Evaluation Section, ECMWF
  • 2005-2013: Head of Meteorological Operations Section, ECMWF
  • 2003-2005: Manager of Assimilation Studies, Met Office, UK
  • 1997-2002: Education Officer and research scientist, ECMWF
  • 1986-1997: Research scientist, Met Office, UK
External recognitions
  • Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society
  • Member of RMetS Council (2004-2008) and member of Accreditation Board (2007-2012)
  • Chair of the WMO Expert Team on Operational Weather Forecasting Process and Support (2013-)
  • Member of the WMO Executive Council Steering Group on Seamless Global Data Processing and Forecasting System (2016-)
  • Member of the  WMO THORPEX TIGGE Working Group (2003-2015; co-chair 2003-2005)
  • Chair of WMO CBS Co-ordination Group on Forecast Verification (2009-2013)
  • Member of UK National Flood Resilience Review Scientific Advisory Group (2016)