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	LEV	File	Note
wind: x-component	ms^-1	033	109	1...40	fc	relative to the rotated coordinates, given at u-points
wind: y-component	ms^-1	034	109	1...40	fc	relative to the rotated coordinates, given at v-points
temperature	K	011	109	1...40	fc
specific humidity	kg kg^-1	051	109	1...40	fc
specific cloud condensate	kg kg^-1	076	109	1...40	fc
kinetic energy of turbulence	m²s^-2	200	109	1...40	fc	given at model half-levels

State variables and diagnostics on constant pressure surfaces

lev_c = [ 100, 200, 250, 300, 400, 500, 700, 850, 925, 1000 ]

		GRIB-code
Variable	Unit	IPAR	LTYP	LEV	File	Note
geopotential	m²s^-2	006	100	lev_c	fcve
temperature	K	011	100	lev_c	fcve
dew point temperature	K	017	100	lev_c	fcve
u-component of wind	ms^-1	033	100	lev_c	fcve	relative to the rotated coordinates, given at u-points
v-component of wind	ms^-1	034	100	lev_c	fcve	relative to the rotated coordinates, given at v-points
pressure coordinate vertical velocity	Pa s^-1	039	100	lev_c	fcve
relative humidity	fraction	052	100	lev_c	fcve
specific cloud condensate	kg kg^-1	076	100	lev_c	fcve

Surface and soil variables

		GRIB-code
Variable	Unit	IPAR	LTYP	LEV	File	Note
surface pressure	Pa	001	105	0	fc, fcmd, fcve	not the mean sea level pressure
surface geopotential	m²s^-2	006	105	0	fc, fcmd, fcve	geopotential relative to mean sea level
fraction of land	fraction	081	105	0	fc, fcve	fraction of grid-square covered by land
surface temperature	K	011	105	0	fcmd, fcve	average over all subtypes
mean surface temperature	K	011	105	999	fcmd	average over all subtypes
deep soil temperature	K	011	105	998	fc	climatological value
surface soil water content	m³m^-3	086	105	0	fcmd	average over all subtypes
total soil water content	m³m^-3	086	105	999	fcmd	average over all subtypes
deep soil wetness	m	086	105	998	fc	climatological value
water equivalent of snowpack	m	066	105	0	fcmd, fcve
albedo	m	084	105	0	fc
orographic roughness length	m	083	105	0	fc
roughness length over sea	m	083	105	702	fc	analysis files contain a background-value
roughness length over sea	m	083	102	0	fcmd	analysis files contain a background-value

Near-surface diagnostics

Accumulated surface fluxes

		GRIB-code
Variable	Unit	IPAR	LTYP	LEV	File	Note
total precipitation	kg m^-2	061	105	0	fcve
grid-scale precipitation	kg m^-2	062	105	0	fc, fcmd
sub grid-scale precipitation	kg m^-2	063	105	0	fc, fcmd
total snowfall	kg m^-2	065	105	0	fcve
grid-scale snowfall	kg m^-2	079	105	0	fcmd
sub grid-scale snowfall	kg m^-2	078	105	0	fcmd
net short-wave radiation	J m^-2	111	105	0	fcmd
net long-wave radiation	J m^-2	112	105	0	fcmd
downwelling long-wave radiation	J m^-2	115	105	0	fcmd
downwelling (global) short-wave radiation	J m^-2	117	105	0	fcmd
latent heat flux	J m^-2	121	105	0	fcmd
sensible heat flux	J m^-2	122	105	0	fcmd
turbulent momentum flux (u-component)	Pa s	124	105	0	fcmd	relative to the rotatated grid, given at mass-points
turbulent momentum flux (v-component)	Pa s	125	105	0	fcmd	relative to the rotatated grid, given at mass-points

Vertically-integrated quantities

		GRIB-code
Variable	Unit	IPAR	LTYP	LEV	File	Note
precipitable water	kg m^-2	054	105	0	fcmd
cloud condensate	kg m^-2	076	105	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	LEV	File	Note
screen level temperature	K	011	105	801-805	fc	2 m above ground
screen level specific humidity	kg kg^-1	051	105	801-805	fc	2 m above ground
x-component of wind at 10 m height	ms^-1	033	105	801-805	fc	relative to the rotated coordinates, given at mass-points
y-component of wind at 10 m height	ms^-1	034	105	801-805	fc	relative to the rotated coordinates, given at mass-points
surface temperature	K	011	105	901-905	fc	901 = 011-102-0
mean surface temperature	K	011	105	951-955	fc
surface specific humidity	kg kg^-1	051	105	901-905	fc
surface soil water content	m³m^-3	086	105	901-905	fc
total soil water content	m³m^-3	086	105	951-955	fc
water equivalent of snowpack	m	066	105	901-905	fc
sensible heat flux	W m^-2	122	105	901-905	fc
latent heat flux	W m^-2	121	105	901-905	fc
scalar momentum flux	Pa	128	105	901-905	fc	given at mass-points
dummy	NaN	190	105	901-905	fc	historical relic
dummy	NaN	191	105	901-905	fc	historical relic
canopy water	kgm^-2	192	105	901-905	fc
surface frozen soil water content	m³m^-3	193	105	901-905	fc
total frozen soil water content	m³m^-3	193	105	951-955	fc
fraction of surface type	fraction	081	105	901-905	fc	fractions of water, ice, bare soil, low vegetation, forest; to be moved from present 81 to 194
soil type		195	105	901-905	fc	code numbers 1...11
vegetation type		199	105	901-905	fc

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