Evolution of the IFS
The comprehensive Earth system model developed at ECMWF forms the basis for all the data assimilation and forecasting activities. All the main applications required are available through one integrated computer software system (a set of computer programs written in Fortran) called the Integrated Forecasting System or IFS.
The IFS undergoes changes regularly in order to improve the forecast. Changes are listed below with their identifier (Cycle 32r1 for instance) or a specific title when the cycle number did not change.
|
Implementation date |
Summary of changes |
Resolution | Full IFS documentation |
| 12-Oct-2021 | Cycle 47r3 | Unchanged | CY47R3 |
| 11-May-2021 | Cycle 47r2 | ENS (Vertical) | as CY47R1 |
| 30-Jun-2020 | Cycle 47r1 | Unchanged | CY47R1 |
| 11-Jun-2019 | Cycle 46r1 | Unchanged | CY46R1 |
| 05-Jun-2018 | Cycle 45r1 | Unchanged | CY45R1 |
| 05-Nov-2017 | Implementation of Seasonal Forecast SEAS5 | Unchanged | Documentation |
| 11-Jul-17 | Cycle 43r3 | Unchanged | CY43R3 |
| 22-Nov-16 | Cycle 43r1 | Ocean (Horizontal & vertical) | CY43R1 |
| 08-Mar-16 |
HRES/ENS/WAVE (Horizontal) |
CY41R2 | |
| 12-May-15 | Cycle 41r1 | Unchanged | CY41R1 |
| 1-Dec-13 | Tropical cyclone trajectory | Unchanged | |
| 19-Nov-13 | Cycle 40r1 | ENS (Vertical) | CY40R1 |
| 26-Jun-13 | Cycle 38r2 | HRES (Vertical) | |
| 21-Nov-12 | Ensemble forecast overlap | Unchanged | |
| 19-Jun-12 | Cycle 38r1 | Unchanged | CY38R1 |
| 15-Nov-11 | Cycle 37r3 | Unchanged | |
| 1-Nov-11 | SEAS (Horizontal & Vertical) | ||
| 18-May-11 | Cycle 37r2 | Unchanged | CY37R2 |
| 8-Mar-11 | New ENS Cluster | Unchanged | |
| 09-Nov-10 | Cycle 36r4 | Unchanged | |
| 24-Jun-10 | Cycle 36r2 | Unchanged | |
| 26-Jan-10 | Cycle 36r1 | HRES/ENS/Ocean (Horizontal) | CY36R1 |
| 13-Oct-09 | LAW resolution increase | LAW | |
| 08-Sep-09 | Cycle 35r3 | Unchanged | |
| 10-Mar-09 | Cycle 35r2 | Unchanged | |
| 30-Sep-08 | Cycle 35r1/ 33r2 | Unchanged | |
| 03-Jun-08 | Cycle 33r1 | LAW | CY33R1 |
| 11-Mar-08 | Cycle 32r3V | Unchanged | |
| 06-Nov-07 | Cycle 32r3 | Unchanged | |
| 05-Jun-07 | Cycle 32r2 | Unchanged | |
| 12-Dec-06 | Cycle 31r2 | Unchanged | |
| 12-Sep-06 | Cycle 31r1 | Unchanged | CY31R1 |
| 01-Feb-06 | Cycle 30r1 | Changed |
Older Upgrades
|
Date |
Identifier | Resolution | IFS Documentation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28-Jun-05 | Cycle 29r2 | Unchanged | |
| 05-Apr-05 | Cycle 29r1 | Unchanged | |
| 28-Sep-04 | Cycle 28r3 | Unchanged | |
| 29-Jun-04 | Cycle 28r2 | Unchanged | |
| 09-Mar-04 | Cycle 28r1 | Unchanged | CY28R1 |
| 07-Oct-03 | Cycle 26r3 | Unchanged | |
| 29-Apr-03 | Cycle 26r1 | Unchanged | |
| 04-Mar-03 | Cycle 25r5 | Unchanged | |
| 14-Jan-03 | Cycle 25r4 | Unchanged | |
| 09-Apr-02 | Cycle 25r1 | Unchanged | CY25R1 |
| 22-Jan-02 | Cycle 24r3 | Unchanged | |
| 12-Jun-01 | Cycle 23r4 | Unchanged | |
| 21-Nov-00 | Cycle 23r3 | HRES (Horizontal) | |
| 12-Sep-00 | Cycle 23r1 | Unchanged | |
| 27-Jun-00 | Cycle 22r3 | Unchanged | |
| 11-Apr-00 | Cycle 22r1 | Unchanged | |
| 12-Oct-99 | Cycle 21r4 | HRES (Vertical) | |
| 13-Jul-99 | Cycle 21r2 | Unchanged | |
| 05-May-99 | Cycle 21r1 | Unchanged | |
| 09-Mar-99 | Cycle 19r2 | HRES (Vertical) | |
| 1998 summary of changes | Cycles 19r1, 18r6, 18r5, 18r4 | HRES (Horizontal) | |
| Cycles 18r3, 18r1,16r4,16r2, 15r8 | Unchanged | ||
| 1996 summary of changes | Cycles 15r7, 15r5, 14r3 | Unchanged | |
| 1995 summary of changes | Cycle 13r4 | Unchanged | |
| 1994 summary of changes | Cycles 12r1, 11r7 | Unchanged | |
| 1993 summary of changes | Cycles 49, 48, 47, 46 | Unchanged | |
| 1992 summary of changes | Cycles 45, 44, 43, 42, 41 | Unchanged | |
| 1991 summary of changes | Cycles 40, 39, 38 | HRES (Horizontal & vertical) | |
| 1990 summary of changes | Cycles 36 35 | Unchanged | |
| Cycles 34, 33, 32 | Unchanged | ||
| 1988 summary of changes | Cycles 31, 30 | Unchanged | |
| 1987 summary of changes | Cycles 29 | Unchanged | |
| 1986 summary of changes | Cycles 28, 27, 26 | HRES (Vertical) | |
| 1985 summary of changes | Cycles 25, 24, 23, 22 | HRES (Horizontal) |