Abstract
The objectives and the activities of the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) are described. ECMWF is an international organisation supported by seventeen European countries. The main objectives are to carry out research in weather prediction by means of numerical methods and to prepare medium-range weather forecasts on an operational basis. The operational function started in August 1979 and since then ECMWF issues forecasts every week-day to the Weather Services in the Member States. The forecasts are global in content and are made available every 12 hours up to 7 days. A general assessment shows that the forecasts are very accurate up to 3-4 days and give useful guidance for the large-scale weather systems a week ahead. The main marine applications are expected in ship-routing and in overall planning, e.g., off-shore activities, where weather predictions from a few days up to a week are important. © 1981.
