Principal Scientist
Research, Earth System Modelling, Physical Processes
Summary:
Peter Bechtold is a Principal Scientist in the ECMWF Research Departments Earth System Modeling Section and is responsible for the developments in convection. He is also involved in all aspects concerning the impact of convection on the general circulation, as well as the impact of gravity waves on the stratosphere.
Professional interests:
- Numerical weather prediction
- Tropical meteorology
- Atmospheric moist convection and turbulence
- Physical parametrizations
Career background:
Education
- Studied Physics and Meteorology at the Universities of Karlsruhe (Germany) and Clermont-Ferrand (France)
- PhD in Meteorology at University Clermont-Ferrand (1992)
- Habilitation University Paul Sabatier, Toulouse (1998)
Professional
- Charge de Recherche CNRS, Observatoire Midi-Pyrenees, Toulouse (1992-2002)
- On research leave to Dutch weather service KNMI (Utrecht, Netherlands 1996-1997) and University of Lisboa (Portugal, 2002)
- Joined ECMWF in 2002 as a senior scientist and became a principal scientist in 2015
External recognitions
CNRS Bronze medal
- 2024
- Thomas Rackow, Xabier Pedruzo-Bagazgoitia, Tobias Becker, Sebastian Milinski, Irina Sandu, Razvan Aguridan, Peter Bechtold, Sebastian Beyer, Jean Bidlot, Souhail Boussetta, Michail Diamantakis, Peter Dueben, Emanuel Dutra, Richard Forbes, Helge F. Goessling, Ioan Hadade, Jan Hegewald, Sarah Keeley, Lukas Kluft, Nikolay Koldunov, Alexei Koldunov, Tobias Kölling, Josh Kousal, Kristian Mogensen, Tiago Quintino, Inna Polichtchouk, Domokos Sármány, Dmitry Sidorenko, Jan Streffing, Birgit Sützl, Daisuke Takasuka, Steffen Tietsche, Mirco Valentini, Benoît Vannière, Nils Wedi, Lorenzo Zampieri, Florian Ziemen (April 2024) Multi-year simulations at kilometre scale with the Integrated Forecasting System coupled to FESOM2.5/NEMOv3.4. DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-2024-913
- Cheng Tao, Shaocheng Xie, Hsi‐Yen Ma, Peter Bechtold, Zeyu Cui, Paul A. Vaillancourt, Kwinten Van Weverberg, Yi‐Chi Wang, May Wong, Jing Yang, Guang J. Zhang, In‐Jin Choi, Shuaiqi Tang, Jiangfeng Wei, Wen‐Ying Wu, Meng Zhang, J. David Neelin, Xubin Zeng (January 2024) Diurnal cycle of precipitation over the tropics and central United States: intercomparison of general circulation models, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society. DOI: 10.1002/qj.4629
- 2022
- Andreas Dörnbrack, Peter Bechtold, Ulrich Schumann (August 2022) High‐Resolution Aircraft Observations of Turbulence and Waves in the Free Atmosphere and Comparison With Global Model Predictions, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. DOI: 10.1029/2022JD036654
- Rituparna Sarkar, Parthasarathi Mukhopadhyay, Peter Bechtold, Philippe Lopez, Sunil D. Pawar, Kaustav Chakravarty (September 2022) Evaluation of ECMWF Lightning Flash Forecast over Indian Subcontinent during MAM 2020, Atmosphere. DOI: 10.3390/atmos13091520
- Zied Ben Bouallègue, Fenwick Cooper, Matthew Chantry, Peter Dueben, Peter Bechtold, irina sandu (April 2022) Statistical modelling of 2m temperature and 10m wind speed forecast errors, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 896. DOI: 10.21957/vdcccja3f
- 2021
- Tobias Becker, Peter Bechtold, Irina Sandu (October 2021) Characteristics of convective precipitation over tropical Africa in storm‐resolving global simulations, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society n. 741, pp. 4388-4407. DOI: 10.1002/qj.4185
- Linus Magnusson, Sharanya Majumdar, Rebecca Emerton, David Richardson, Magdalena A. Balmaseda, Calum Baugh, Peter Bechtold, Jean Bidlot, Antonino Bonanni, Massimo Bonavita, Niels Bormann, Andy Brown, Philip Browne, Hilda Carr, Mohamed Dahoui, Giovanna De Chiara, Michail Diamantakis, David I. Duncan, Stephen English, Richard Forbes, Alan Geer, Thomas Haiden, Sean Healy, Timothy Hewson, Bruce Ingleby, Martin Janousek, Christian Kühnlein, Simon Lang, Sarah-Jane Lock, Tony McNally, Kristian S. Mogensen, Florian Pappenberger, Inna Polichtchouk, Fernando Prates, Christel Prudhomme, Florence Rabier, Patricia de Rosnay, Tiago Quintino, Michael Rennie (October 2021) Tropical cyclone activities at ECMWF, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 888. DOI: 10.21957/zzxzzygwv
- Inna Polichtchouk, Peter Bechtold, Massimo Bonavita, Richard Forbes, Sean Healy, Robin Hogan, Patrick Laloyaux, Michael Rennie, Timothy Stockdale, Nils Wedi, Michail Diamantakis, Johannes Flemming, Stephen English, Lars Isaksen, Filip Vána, Sonja Gisinger, Nicholas Byrne (January 2021) Stratospheric modelling and assimilation, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 877. DOI: 10.21957/25hegfoq
- Peter Bechtold, M Bramberger, A. Dörnbrack, L. Isaksen, Martin Leutbecher (January 2021) Experimenting with a Clear Air Turbulence (CAT) Index from the IFS, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 874. DOI: 10.21957/4l34tqljm
- Peter Bechtold (March 2021) Convection and Its Impact on Weather, Atmosphere. DOI: 10.3390/atmos12040437
- Simon T. K. Lang, Sarah‐Jane Lock, Martin Leutbecher, Peter Bechtold, Richard M. Forbes (January 2021) Revision of the Stochastically Perturbed Parametrisations model uncertainty scheme in the Integrated Forecasting System, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society n. 735, pp. 1364-1381. DOI: 10.1002/qj.3978
- Peter Bechtold, Martina Bramberger, Andreas Dornbrack, Martin Leutbecher, Lars Isaksen (July 2021) Forecasting clear-air turbulence, ECMWF Newsletter, issue 168, pp. 32-37. DOI: 10.21957/p381s6cn9b
- 2020
- irina sandu, Peter Bechtold, Nuijens L., Anton Beljaars, Andrew Brown (June 2020) On the causes of systematic forecast biases in near-surface wind direction over the oceans, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 866. DOI: 10.21957/wggbl43u
- Peter Bechtold, Richard Forbes, irina sandu, Simon Lang, Maike Ahlgrimm (July 2020) A major moist physics upgrade for the IFS, ECMWF Newsletter, issue 164, pp. 24-32. DOI: 10.21957/3gt59vx1pb
- 2019
- David Parsons, Samuel Lillo, Christopher Rattray, Peter Bechtold, Mark John Rodwell, Connor Bruce (November 2019) The Role of Continental Mesoscale Convective Systems in Forecast Busts within Global Weather Prediction Systems, Atmosphere. DOI: 10.3390/atmos10110681
- Inna Polichtchouk, Timothy Stockdale, Peter Bechtold, Michail Diamantakis, Sylvie Malardel, irina sandu, Filip Vána, Nils Wedi (June 2019) Control on stratospheric temperature in IFS: resolution and vertical advection, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 847. DOI: 10.21957/cz3t12t7e
- Groenemeijer P. orcid.org/0000-0002-4223-5831, Púcik T. orcid.org/0000-0002-4983-0449, Ivan Tsonevsky, Peter Bechtold (November 2019) An Overview of Convective Available Potential Energy and Convective Inhibition provided by NWP models for operational forecasting, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 852. DOI: 10.21957/q392hofrl
- Frederic Vitart, Magdalena A. Balmaseda, Laura Ferranti, Angela Benedetti, Beena Balan Sarojini, Steffen Tietsche, Junchen Yao, Martin Janousek, Gianpaolo Balsamo, Martin Leutbecher, Peter Bechtold, Inna Polichtchouk, David Richardson, Timothy Stockdale, Chris Roberts (November 2019) Extended-range prediction, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 854. DOI: 10.21957/pdivp3t9m
- 2018
- Rossana Dragani, Angela Benedetti, Johannes Flemming, Gianpaolo Balsamo, Michail Diamantakis, Alan Geer, Robin Hogan, Timothy Stockdale, Melanie Ades, Anna Agusti-Panareda, Barré J., Peter Bechtold, Alessio Bozzo, Hans Hersbach, Elias Hólm, Zak Kipling, Antje Inness, Julie Letertre-Danczak, Sebastien Massart, Marco Matricardi, Tony McNally, M. Parrington, irina sandu, Cornel Soci, Frederic Vitart (December 2018) Atmospheric Composition priority developments for Numerical Weather Prediction, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 833. DOI: 10.21957/5e0whui2y
- Hans Hersbach, Patricia de Rosnay, Bill Bell, Dinand Schepers, Adrian Simmons, Cornel Soci, Saleh Abdalla, Magdalena A. Balmaseda, Gianpaolo Balsamo, Peter Bechtold, P. Berrisford, Jean Bidlot, de Boisséson E., Massimo Bonavita, Browne P., Roberto Buizza, Per Dahlgren, Dick Dee, Rossana Dragani, Michail Diamantakis, Johannes Flemming, Richard Forbes, Alan Geer, Thomas Haiden, Elias Hólm, L. Haimberger, Robin Hogan, Andras Horanyi, Janiskova M., Patrick Laloyaux, Philippe Lopez, Joaquin Muñoz-Sabater, C. Peubey, Raluca Radu, David Richardson, Jean-Noel THEPAUT, Frederic Vitart, Yang X, Ervin Zsoter, Hao Zuo (December 2018) Operational global reanalysis: progress, future directions and synergies with NWP, ERA Report Series n. 27. DOI: 10.21957/tkic6g3wm
- 2017
- Alan Geer, Maike Ahlgrimm, Peter Bechtold, Massimo Bonavita, Niels Bormann, Stephen English, Mark Fielding, Richard Forbes, Robin Hogan, Elias Hólm, Marta Janiskova, Katrin Lonitz, Philippe Lopez, Marco Matricardi, irina sandu, P. Weston (April 2017) Assimilating observations sensitive to cloud and precipitation, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 815. DOI: 10.21957/sz7cr1dym
- Roberto Buizza, Peter Bechtold, Massimo Bonavita, Niels Bormann, Alessio Bozzo, Thomas Haiden, Robin Hogan, Elias Hólm, Gabor Radnoti, David Richardson, Michael Sleigh (April 2017) IFS Cycle 43r3 brings model and assimilation updates, ECMWF newsletter, issue 152, pp. 18-22. DOI: 10.21957/76t4e1
- Alessio Bozzo, S. Remy, Angela Benedetti, Johannes Flemming, Peter Bechtold, Mark John Rodwell, J.-J. Morcrette (April 2017) Implementation of a CAMS-based aerosol climatology in the IFS, ECMWF Technical Memorandum n. 801. DOI: 10.21957/84ya94mls
- I. Polichtchouk, Robin Hogan, T.G. Shepherd, Peter Bechtold, Timothy Stockdale, S. Malardel, Sarah-Jane Lock, Linus Magnusson (April 2017) What influences the middle atmosphere circulation in the IFS?, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 809. DOI: 10.21957/mfsnfv15o
- 2016
- P. Ollinaho, Sarah-Jane Lock, Martin Leutbecher, Peter Bechtold, Anton Beljaars, Alessio Bozzo, R.M. Forbes, Thomas Haiden, Robin Hogan, irina sandu (April 2016) Towards process-level representation of model uncertainties: Stochastically perturbed parameterisations in the ECMWF ensemble, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 784. DOI: 10.21957/jjk9l5yy
- L. Schlemmer, Peter Bechtold, irina sandu, Maike Ahlgrimm (April 2016) Momentum transport in shallow convection, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 781. DOI: 10.21957/fehbyao0
- 2015
- M. Herman, Z. Fuchs, D. Raymond, Peter Bechtold (April 2015) Convectively coupled Kelvin Waves: From linear theory to global models, ECMWF Technical Memorandum n. 764. DOI: 10.21957/tz73ix349
- N. Semane, Peter Bechtold (March 2015) Convection and waves on Small Earth and Deep Atmosphere, ECMWF Technical Memorandum n. 752. DOI: 10.21957/zogu3gj50
- irina sandu, Peter Bechtold, Anton Beljaars, Alessio Bozzo, Felix Pithan, T.G. Shepherd, Ayrton Zadra (April 2015) Impacts of parameterized orographic drag on the Northern Hemisphere winter circulation, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 763. DOI: 10.21957/ojb2gmrgc
- 2014
- Peter Bechtold, irina sandu, D. Klocke, N. Semane, Maike Ahlgrimm, Anton Beljaars, Richard Forbes, Mark John Rodwell (July 2014) The role of shallow convection in ECMWF's Integrated Forecasting System, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 725, pp. 27. DOI: 10.21957/heba1qwem
- Johannes Flemming, V. Huijnen, J. Arteta, Peter Bechtold, Anton Beljaars, A-M. Blechschmidt, Michail Diamantakis, Richard Engelen, A. Gaude, Antje Inness, Luke Jones, Vincent-Henri Peuch, M.G. Schulz, O. Stein, A. Tsikerdekis (September 2014) Tropospheric Chemistry in the Integrated Forecasting System of ECMWF, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 730. DOI: 10.21957/kkljbmrkh
- 2013
- Peter Bechtold, Semane N., Philippe Lopez, Chaboureau J.-P., Anton Beljaars, Niels Bormann (April 2013) Breakthrough in forecasting equilibrium and non-equilibrium convection, ECMWF Newsletter, issue 136, pp. 15-22. DOI: 10.21957/8j0xcrpk
- Peter Bechtold, Semane N., Malardel S. (April 2013) Convection and waves on small planets and the real Earth, ECMWF Newsletter, issue 135, pp. 14-19. DOI: 10.21957/tv6pnpt5
- Ling J., C. Zhang, Peter Bechtold (May 2013) Large-scale distinctions between MJO and non-MJO convective initiation over the tropical Indian Ocean, ECMWF Technical Memorandum n. 698, pp. 26. DOI: 10.21957/975v7h0hp
- Peter Bauer, Anton Beljaars, Maike Ahlgrimm, Peter Bechtold, Jean Bidlot, Massimo Bonavita, Alessio Bozzo, Richard Forbes, E. V. Hólm, Martin Leutbecher, Philippe Lopez, Linus Magnusson, F. Prates, Mark John Rodwell, irina sandu, A. Untch, Frederic Vitart (July 2013) Model Cycle 38r2: Components and Performance, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 704, pp. 58. DOI: 10.21957/xc1r0lj6l
- Peter Bechtold, N. Semane, Philippe Lopez, J.P. Chaboureau, Anton Beljaars, Niels Bormann (September 2013) Representing equilibrium and non-equilibrium convection in large-scale models, ECMWF Technical Memorandum n. 705, pp. 27. DOI: 10.21957/v28agb6n2
- Peter Bechtold, Peter Bauer, Jean Bidlot, Carla Cardinali, Magnusson L., Fernando Prates, Mark John Rodwell (April 2013) Uncertainty in tropical winds, ECMWF Newsletter, issue 134, pp. 33-37. DOI: 10.21957/zp9aqpdc
- 2012
- Mark John Rodwell, Magnusson L., Peter Bauer, Peter Bechtold, Massimo Bonavita, Carla Cardinali, Michail Diamantakis, P. Earnshaw, Anotonio Garcia-Mendez, L. Isaksen, Källén E., Klocke D., Philippe Lopez, Tony McNally, Persson A., Fernando Prates, Nils Wedi (April 2012) A case study of occasional poor medium-range forecasts for Europe, ECMWF Newsletter, issue 131, pp. 16-24. DOI: 10.21957/ocaqy91i
- Mark John Rodwell, Magnusson L., Peter Bauer, Peter Bechtold, Carla Cardinali, Michail Diamantakis, Källén E., Klocke D., Philippe Lopez, Tony McNally, Persson A., Fernando Prates, Nils Wedi (April 2012) Characteristics of occasional poor medium-range forecasts for Europe, ECMWF Newsletter, issue 131, pp. 11-15. DOI: 10.21957/lnhbsxr4
- Peter Bechtold, Peter Bauer, P. Berrisford, Jean Bidlot, Carla Cardinali, Thomas Haiden, Martin Janousek, D. Klocke, Linus Magnusson, A. McNally, F. Prates, Mark John Rodwell, N. Semane, Frederic Vitart (November 2012) Progress in predicting tropical systems: The role of convection, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 686, pp. 61. DOI: 10.21957/2hbsfji57
- L. Bengtsson, M. Steinheimer, Peter Bechtold, J.-F. Geleyn (February 2012) A stochastic parameterization for deep convection using cellular automata, ECMWF Technical Memorandum n. 669, pp. 16. DOI: 10.21957/axzqyd7j5
- Hirons L. C., P. Inness, Frederic Vitart, Peter Bechtold (July 2012) Understanding advances in the simulation of intraseasonal variability in the ECMWF model. Part I: The representation of the MJO, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 681, pp. 15. DOI: 10.21957/9eibvh0hi
- Hirons L. C., P. Inness, Frederic Vitart, Peter Bechtold (June 2012) Understanding advances in the simulation of intraseasonal variability in the ECMWF model. Part II: The application of process-based diagnostics, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 682, pp. 15. DOI: 10.21957/otya4quw
- irina sandu, Anton Beljaars, Peter Bechtold, T. Mauritsen, Gianpaolo Balsamo (August 2012) Why is it so difficult to represent stably stratified conditions in NWP models?, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 684, pp. 23. DOI: 10.21957/0lt9ztj22
- 2010
- Mark John Rodwell, T. Jung, Peter Bechtold, P. Berrisford, Niels Bormann, Carla Cardinali, Laura Ferranti, Timothy Hewson, Franco Molteni, Nils Wedi, Magdalena A. Balmaseda, Gianpaolo Balsamo, Massimo Bonavita, Roberto Buizza, Mohamed Dahoui, Anotonio Garcia-Mendez, Martin Leutbecher, Philippe Lopez, Y. Trémolet, Frederic Vitart (October 2010) Developments in diagnostics research, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 637, pp. 49. DOI: 10.21957/tnuoos42a
- Jung T. G. Balsamo, Peter Bechtold, Anton Beljaars, M. Köhler, M.J. Miller, J.-J. Morcrette, A. Orr, Mark John Rodwell, A.M. Tompkins (April 2010) The ECMWF model climate: Recent progress through improved physical parametrizations, ECMWF Technical Memorandum n. 623, pp. 23. DOI: 10.21957/mucdh8qrc
- A. Orr, Peter Bechtold, J. Scinocca, M. Ern, Marta Janiskova (April 2010) Improved middle atmosphere climate and forecasts in the ECMWF model through a non-orographic gravity wave drag parametrization, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 625, pp. 14. DOI: 10.21957/dm64cmpj
- 2009
- Peter Bechtold, Orr A., Morcette J.J., Richard Engelen, Johannes Flemming, Marta Janiskova (April 2009) Improvements in the stratosphere and mesosphere of the IFS, ECMWF Newsletter, issue 120, pp. 22-31. DOI: 10.21957/cs2g8q28uk
- Peter Bechtold, Jean Bidlot (April 2009) Parametrization of convective gusts, ECMWF Newsletter, issue 119, pp. 15-18. DOI: 10.21957/kfr42kfp8c
- 2008
- J.-J. Morcrette, O. Boucher, Luke Jones, Deborah Salmond, Peter Bechtold, Anton Beljaars, Angela Benedetti, Axel Bonet, J. Kaiser, Miha Razinger, M.G. Schulz, S. Serrar, Adrian Simmons, M. Sofiev, Martin Suttie, A.M. Tompkins, A. Untch, the GEMS-AER team (September 2008) Aerosol analysis and forecast in the ECMWF Integrated Forecast System: Forward modelling., ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 573, pp. 35. DOI: 10.21957/jxqm3uq6j
- Peter Bechtold, Köhler M., Jung T., Martin Leutbecher, Mark John Rodwell, Frederic Vitart (April 2008) Advances in simulating atmospheric variability with IFS cycle 32r3, ECMWF Newsletter, issue 114, pp. 29-38. DOI: 10.21957/33vbh2pla1
- Peter Bechtold, M. Köhler, T. Jung, F. Doblas-Reyes, Martin Leutbecher, Mark John Rodwell, Frederic Vitart, Gianpaolo Balsamo (February 2008) Advances in simulating atmospheric variability with the ECMWF model: from synoptic to decadal time-scales, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 556, pp. 22. DOI: 10.21957/s54t9der
- A. Orr, Peter Bechtold (March 2008) Improvement in the capturing of short-range warm season orographic precipitation in the ECMWF model., ECMWF Technical Memorandum n. 543, pp. 13. DOI: 10.21957/kcw59kfz
- 2007
- M. Steinheimer, M. Hantel, Peter Bechtold (November 2007) Convection in Lorenz's global energy cycle with the ECMWF model., ECMWF Technical Memorandum n. 545, pp. 37. DOI: 10.21957/ednf03tgk
- J.-J. Morcrette, Peter Bechtold, Anton Beljaars, Angela Benedetti, Axel Bonet, F. Doblas-Reyes, J. Hague, M. Hamrud, J. Haseler, J. Kaiser, Martin Leutbecher, G. Mozdzynski, Miha Razinger, Deborah Salmond, S. Serrar, Martin Suttie, A.M. Tompkins, A. Untch, Antje Weisheimer (October 2007) Recent advances in radiation transfer parametrizations, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 539, pp. 50. DOI: 10.21957/ubx8vhd6q
- 2004
- A.M. Tompkins, Peter Bechtold, Anton Beljaars, Angela Benedetti, S. Cheinet, Marta Janiskova, M. Köhler, Philippe Lopez, J.-J. Morcrette (December 2004) Moist physical processes in the IFS: Progress and Plans, ECMWF Technical Memoranda n. 452, pp. 91. DOI: 10.21957/dhtvdwsk