Science blog

For the last 15 years, the CALIPSO satellite has been providing a unique, three-dimensional view of clouds and aerosols. Our scientists look back at its contribution to weather forecasting and atmospheric monitoring.

Patricia De Rosnay and colleagues discuss a recent study which uses neural network techniques to derive soil moisture from satellite observations. Neural networks are shown to outperform operational methods in some regions.

Data from surface-based observations are vital for skilful forecasts, but significant areas of the globe remain comparatively poorly observed. Bruce Ingleby looks at the role that surface-based observations play and the impact of gaps in coverage.

Irina Sandu and François Massonnet (Université Catholique de Louvain) discuss polar observations, their impact on forecasting, and how the development of observing systems goes hand in hand with the development of numerical prediction systems.

ECMWF Fellow Louise Nuijens is daydreaming about a field campaign in Barbados earlier this year. Working with us, she is analysing the observations that were collected there, to understand how clouds affect and are affected by the wind.

Colleagues from the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology join with ECMWF staff to discuss improvements in our understanding of how aerosols, clouds and radiation affect the monsoon rains of southern West Africa.

Emmanuel Rouges and Nikolaos Mastrantonas are investigating predictability on the challenging sub-seasonal (or extended-range) timescale, focusing on extreme conditions over Europe, as part of the EU CAFE project.

Jonny Day and Gabriele Arduini discuss how they are using Finnish Meteorological Institute observations at a snow-covered boreal site in Lapland to improve the ECMWF snow model and forecasts in Northern Europe.

David Lavers relates his experience on a research aircraft flight to observe atmospheric rivers and the benefits such observations can bring to forecasts of precipitation and flooding.