Output variables of HIRLAM V621

The forecast model writes its primary output to so called history file (fcyyyymmdd_hh+lll) as well as the fields for model diagnostics to a file with suffix `md' in its title (fcyyyymmdd_hh+lllmd), at 1 hour interval up to 9 hour forecast, and at 3 hours intervals from there on. Fields for verification are written to a file with suffix `ve' (fcyyyymmdd_hh+lllve), at 3 hours intervals. In the following tables abbreviations used for the different file type are: fc=`history file', fcmd=`diagnostics file' and fcve=`verification file'.
The main results of a forecast cycle are archived into a tar file, ARyyyymmdd_hh.tar. The files for verification and the ascii file with verification results, are collected into a second tar file, VEyyyymmdd_hh.tar. The lateral boundary files are stored into a third tar file, MFyyyymmdd_hh.tar, which is also archived.
For the present and the month before, the archived tar files can be retrieved from the archive server hosted by the CSC - Scientific Computing Ltd. The location of the archive files for the HIRLAM V621 model is /fs/archive/fmi/hirlam/hirlam2/hl_arc/V621.

For the earlier months, the archives are maintained in untarred form in the ECMWF's ECFS at address ec:/rui/hirlam/RCRa/yyyy/mm/dd/hh.

State variables and diagnostics on model surfaces
GRIB-code
Variable Unit IPAR LTYP LEVFileNote
wind: x-componentms-10331091...40fcrelative to the rotated coordinates, given at u-points
wind: y-componentms-1034109 1...40fcrelative to the rotated coordinates, given at v-points
temperatureK0111091...40fc
specific humiditykg kg-10511091...40fc
specific cloud condensatekg kg-10761091...40fc
kinetic energy of turbulencem2s-22001091...40fcgiven at model half-levels

State variables and diagnostics on constant pressure surfaces
levc = [ 100, 200, 250, 300, 400, 500, 700, 850, 925, 1000 ]
GRIB-code
Variable Unit IPAR LTYP LEVFileNote
geopotentialm2s-2006100levcfcve
temperatureK011100levcfcve
dew point temperatureK017100levcfcve
u-component of windms-1033100levcfcverelative to the rotated coordinates, given at u-points
v-component of windms-1034100 levcfcverelative to the rotated coordinates, given at v-points
pressure coordinate vertical velocityPa s-1039100levcfcve
relative humidityfraction052100levcfcve
specific cloud condensatekg kg-1076100levcfcve

Surface and soil variables
GRIB-code
Variable Unit IPAR LTYP LEVFileNote
surface pressure Pa 001 105 0 fc, fcmd, fcvenot the mean sea level pressure
surface geopotential m2s-2006 105 0 fc, fcmd, fcvegeopotential relative to mean sea level
fraction of land fraction 081 105 0 fc, fcvefraction of grid-square covered by land
surface temperature K 011 105 0 fcmd, fcveaverage over all subtypes
mean surface temperature K 011 105 999fcmdaverage over all subtypes
deep soil temperature K 011 105 998fcclimatological value
surface soil water content m3m-3086 105 0 fcmdaverage over all subtypes
total soil water content m3m-3086 105 999fcmdaverage over all subtypes
deep soil wetness m 086 105 998fcclimatological value
water equivalent of snowpackm 066 105 0 fcmd, fcve
albedo m 084 105 0 fc
orographic roughness lengthm 083 105 0 fc
roughness length over sea m 083 105 702 fcanalysis files contain a background-value
roughness length over sea m 083 102 0 fcmdanalysis files contain a background-value

Near-surface diagnostics

Accumulated surface fluxes
GRIB-code
Variable Unit IPAR LTYP LEVFileNote
total precipitationkg m-2 061 105 0 fcve
grid-scale precipitationkg m-2 062 105 0 fc, fcmd
sub grid-scale precipitationkg m-2 063 105 0 fc, fcmd
total snowfallkg m-2 065 105 0 fcve
grid-scale snowfallkg m-2 079 105 0 fcmd
sub grid-scale snowfallkg m-2 078 105 0 fcmd
net short-wave radiationJ m-2 111 105 0 fcmd
net long-wave radiationJ m-2 112 105 0 fcmd
downwelling long-wave radiationJ m-2115 105 0 fcmd
downwelling (global) short-wave radiationJ m-2 117 105 0 fcmd
latent heat fluxJ m-2 121105 0 fcmd
sensible heat fluxJ m-2122105 0 fcmd
turbulent momentum flux (u-component)Pa s 124105 0 fcmdrelative to the rotatated grid, given at mass-points
turbulent momentum flux (v-component)Pa s 125105 0 fcmdrelative to the rotatated grid, given at mass-points

Vertically-integrated quantities
GRIB-code
Variable Unit IPAR LTYP LEVFileNote
precipitable waterkg m-2 054105 0 fcmd
cloud condensatekg m-2 076105 0 fcmd

Surface subtypes
A coding system violating WMO GRIB standard is presently used to define numbers for near-surface subtype variables. WMO code numbers are used to denote the variables, with the level type set to 105 for all of them. To define the actual level type the WMO level height parameter is used. There are presently five subtypes of surface variables:
JTYPE subtype Note
1 sea or inland water
2 sea or inland ice
3 bare land
4 low vegetation
5 forest

Surface sublevel types
Three indexes are used to denote level type of surface variables:
LTYPE level type Note
800 diagnostic levels used for ten-metre wind, two-metre temperature and humidity
900 surface
950 in-soil level (mean values)

Near-surface state and diagnostic variables for subtypes
The variable written as level height parameter is obtained by combination of subtype and sublevel parameters: LEV = LTYPE + JTYPE. E.g. the two-metre temperature over forest is now denoted by combination of parameters IPAR = 11, LTYP = 105, LEV = 805. The following variables may have subtype values:
GRIB-code
Variable Unit IPAR LTYP LEVFileNote
screen level temperature K 011 105 801-805fc2 m above ground
screen level specific humidity kg kg-1 051 105801-805fc2 m above ground
x-component of wind at 10 m heightms-1033105801-805fcrelative to the rotated coordinates, given at mass-points
y-component of wind at 10 m heightms-1034105 801-805 fcrelative to the rotated coordinates, given at mass-points
surface temperature K 011105 901-905fc901 = 011-102-0
mean surface temperature K 011105 951-955fc
surface specific humidity kg kg-1 051105 901-905fc
surface soil water content m3m-3 086105 901-905fc
total soil water content m3m-3 086105 951-955fc
water equivalent of snowpackm 066105 901-905fc
sensible heat fluxW m-2122105 901-905 fc
latent heat fluxW m-2 121105 901-905 fc
scalar momentum flux Pa 128105 901-905 fcgiven at mass-points
dummy NaN 190105 901-905fchistorical relic
dummy NaN 191105 901-905fchistorical relic
canopy water kgm-2 192105 901-905fc
surface frozen soil water content m3m-3 193105 901-905fc
total frozen soil water content m3m-3 193105 951-955fc
fraction of surface type fraction 081105 901-905fcfractions of water, ice, bare soil, low vegetation, forest; to be moved from present 81 to 194
soil type 195105 901-905fccode numbers 1...11
vegetation type 199105 901-905fc



Updated On 20 Jan 2005, 11:21
Markku Kangas & Niko Sokka