National Unified Operational Prediction Capability Common Model Architecture

NUOPC is a joint effort between NOAA, DOD, and their research partners to improve collaboration and accelerate operational numerical weather prediction. This partnership is focused on leveraging agency resources and existing ensemble systems into a National Unified Ensemble. The multi-model ensemble was implemented in 2011 and brings additional skill to forecasts at ranges of 8 days and beyond. With the exchange of over 70 variables for forecasts out to 16 days with model runs twice a day and fields exchanged on a one degree grid, much coordination is required to meet the operational requirements of the data exchange. Another effort by the NUOPC partners is the creation of a Common Model Architecture for use in the Operational Prediction Centers. An interagency working group developed the original strategy over a series of meetings from 2007 to 2009. Their final report was approved and published in 2009 and established a well-developed plan to implement this strategy across the partners. This effort created agreed to interoperability standards which can be applied to individual model components and allow for relative ease of swapping other components for testing, demonstration and use.