Data Assimilation for Weather Prediction

About this course

Variational and ensemble assimilation methods, observation quality control, background error covariance and the operational assimilation cycle, with emphasis on radar and satellite data streams.

What you will be able to do

• Explain the analysis increment and its dependence on background error
• Distinguish 3D-Var, 4D-Var and ensemble-based assimilation
• Apply quality control reasoning to a rejected observation

Course content

3 modules · 4 resources

1. 1

   The Analysis Problem

   Background, observations and their errors.

   • What assimilation actually does
   • Analysis equation notes
2. 2

   Variational Methods

   3D-Var and 4D-Var in operational practice.

   • Variational assimilation
3. 3

   Observation Handling

   Quality control, bias correction and thinning.

   • Observation QC casebook