EMD-ConWx Meso Data Europe

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Blue/yellow dots illustrate nearest EMD-ConWx Meso scale grid points, green dots are the nearest MERRA grid points for comparison.

Introduction

WindPRO 2.9 introduced a high-resolution meso-scale data set covering Europe. The data is modeled and computed in-house, and was originally developed in a collaboration between EMD and ConWx (http://www.conwx.com). ConWx are experts in meso-scale modelling.

Please note:

  • This dataset is no longer updated; last available data is august 2019.
  • This dataset is replaced by the EMD-WRF Europe+ dataset
  • Access to the dataset requires an additional license (see below).

Dataset Description

The meso-scale model is run at a high spatial resolution of 0.03°x0.03°, approximately 3x3 km, and with hourly temporal resolution. ERA Interim data from ECMWF (http://www.ecmwf.int) is the global boundary data. The timespan of the data is at least 15 years back from today, extended to cover a minimum of 20 years during 2013. Data access is via WindPRO’s user friendly interface to on-line data and requires payment of an annual subscription fee.

Release Schedule

This dataset is not updated anymore, as its source data (the ERA-Interim data) is no longer available. The dataset used to recieve monthly updates, with approximately 3 months delay defined by ERA Interim's availability and computational efforts regarding EMD's high-performance computer clusters.

Usage Note: The EMD-ConWx dataset is discontinued at the end of 2019

2019-08-26: The last month with ERA-Interim data was august 2019 as ECMWF has discontinued this dataset and replaced it with the ERA5 Data. EMD has ceased to update the EMD-ConWx data as the source data is not avaialble anymore. The EMD-WRF Europe+ (ERA5) dataset is already available as the natural, higher-quality successor for the EMD-ConWx dataset. Find more information here.

Required Modules/Licenses

To access the EMD-ConWx meso-scale data the following licenses/modules are required in your WindPRO setup:

  • Basis
  • METEO
  • EMD-WRF Europe+

When the license fee is paid, you then have access to the full dataset without further cost. The price is available from the price-list on the EMD-homepage. Downloading of data is unrestricted for licenced users, however, a "fair use" policy applies. Unlicenced users may download three months of data from any point, however, multiple downloads are not allowed from the same point. Note: Access to the EMD-ConWx Meso Data Europe dataset requires a licence to its successor dataset, the EMD-WRF Europe+ dataset.

Visit EMD online ordering to purchase the needed licences.

Model Domain

The model domain for the EMD-ConWx model is shown in the figure below. Our new dataset covers Europe including larger parts of Turkey and Ukraine but excluding the northern extremes of Scandinavia.

Illustration of the data coverage of the EMD-ConWx Meso Scale Data. Colors illustrate a snapshot of wind speed variations across Europe for one of the modeled hourly intervals.

Dataset Parameters

A large quantity of useful parameters are available directly in WindPRO to aid in your analysis. The different parameters in the EMD-ConWx dataset that are available from within WindPRO are shown in the table below.

Table: Overview of EMD-ConWx Meso Dataset Parameters (3 km grid).
Parameter Unit Description Type
time UTC time stamp (YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM)
psfc Pa Pressure at site Instantaneous
msl Pa Pressure at mean sea level Instantaneous
wSpeed.x m/s Wind speeds at different physical levels (x).
Heights (x): 10m, 25m, 50m, 75m, 100m, 150m, 200m
Instantaneous
wDir.x deg Wind directions at different physical levels (x).
Heights (x): 10m, 25m, 50m, 75m, 100m, 150m, 200m
Instantaneous
wSpeed.0-30mb m/s Wind speeds at pressure level 0-30mb. Instantaneous
wDir.0-30mb deg Wind directions at pressure levels 0-30mb. Instantaneous
wSpeed.850hpa m/s Wind speeds at pressure level 850hPa. Instantaneous
wDir.850hpa deg Wind directions at pressure levels 850hPa. Instantaneous
temperature.x celcius Temperatures at different heights (x)
Heights (x): 2m and 100m
Instantaneous
waterTemp celcius Water temperature Instantaneous
soilTemp.0-10cm celcius The temperature in the upper 10 cm of the soil Instantaneous
relHumidity.2 % Relative humidity in height 2m above ground level Instantaneous
snowDepth m Snow depth (if present) Instantaneous
vis.s m Visibility at surface Instantaneous
sensHeatFlux.s w/m2 Sensible Heat Flux at surface Instantaneous
totPrecip.s kg/m^2 Total Precipitation at surface 1h Accumulated
downShortWaveFlux.s w/m2 Downward shortwave irradiance at surface 1h Average
totalCloudCover.a % Total cloud cover in atmosphere 1h Average
convCloudCover.a % Convective cloud cover in atmosphere 1h Average
4LFTX K N/A
rmol[1] 1/m Inverse (reverse) Monin-Obukhov-Length
znt m Rougnhess length
Data below this line are not shown in a default import of EmdConWx data, but can be made available by clicking repeatedly on the "+" button in the lower left corner of the import table.
sqrtTKE.x [2][3] m/s Wind speed given as standard deviation in m/s. Derived from the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE).
Results available in different physical levels.
Heights (x): 10m, 25m, 50m, 75m, 100m, 150m, 200m
Instantaneous
cloudWater.100 [2][4] mg/kg Parameter intended for estimating probability of icing. Instantaneous
cloudIce.100 [2][4] mg/kg Parameter intended for estimating probability of icing. Instantaneous

Model Experiences and Validation

The model-setup has been validated through various internal investigations on masts around Europe. Direct comparison against a tall Danish mast at Høvsøre is found on the second page of the EMD-ConWx Meso datasheet available.

EMD and some users have found that the absolute levels of the wind speeds may be 10%-15% off at some Central European locations. However, note that this dataset was not designed to replace a mast but rather intended for long-term corrections of local masts. For this purpose, we have excellent experience with the use of the data – the absolute level does not need to be correct, as long as it is consistent.

For the absolute levels to be more accurate and potentially useful for direct micro-siting analysis, the need to incorporate a down-scaling procedure and further utilization of a micro-scale model with associated micro-scale topography is currently being investigated (2013).

In addition, the EMD-WRF modelling setup has been evaluated in a number of external benchmarks.
We have a separate EMD-WRF Benchmark Wiki-Page that holds links to those investigations.

Attribution

If data from this dataset is used within any private or public disseminations, then EMD and its data providers must be acknowledged.

Source: 
EMD-ConWx Meso Data Europe - Copyright (C) - EMD International A/S, 2019. Distribution through EMD and windPRO.
This dataset uses ERA-Iterim which is being developed through the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). 

Footnotes

  1. rmol parameter not to be used: Due to a numerical error in the post-processing - the rmol-values in the EMD-ConWx dataset are not reliable. Please use the rmol-values from the new EMD-WRF Europe+ (ERA5) dataset instead.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 These parameters were added late in the run of the EmdConWx dataset and hence they are not available for all years in the dataset (and not loaded by default). The data is there for 1993-1998 and for 2013-latest. Accessing it requires manually adding lines to the import filter
  3. Empirical turbulence calibration: The WRF post-processor takes the raw WRF model TKE-output and multiplies it with a factor 2. This is an empicical scaling made by the WRF toolchain in order to generate turbulence levels within the observable, natural range.
  4. 4.0 4.1 cloudWater and cloudIcing values are extracted directly from the WRF meso-scale model and are normal output parameters of the same run as the other parameters (wind, temperature etc.). They are controlled by the WRF microphysics scheme for which Ferrier was used. For further information, please access the numerous internet resources about WRF use. EMD has not done any validation on the parameters, so they are provided as is.