The CLIVAR Ocean Model Development Panel is pleased to invite you to join its sixth webinar:

Webinar Details

Title: Impact of Ocean Observations in ocean reanalysis and Seasonal Forecasts

Speaker: Magdalena Alonso Balmaseda (ECMWF)

Date: November 27, 2026
Time: 13:00 UTC

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Abstract:

Here we present results from the ECMWF contribution to SynObs Ocean Decade Program, related with the evaluation of impact of the ocean observations on long time scales, including ocean reanalysis and seasonal forecasts. A series of Observing System Experiments (OSEs) have been conducted with the most recent version of the ECMWF ocean reanalysis (ORA) and seasonal forecast system. In the experiments, one or several observing systems are withheld from ocean reanalysis spanning the period 2001-2023. The ocean reanalysis OSES are then used to initialize a series of seasonal reforecasts spanning the same period. Results show that the insitu observations have a profound impact on the ocean state estimation, being indeed are essential in order to exploit satellite observations such as SST and altimeter sea level. The ocean observations also affect the quality of the seasonal forecasts one and two seasons ahead. Results show error growing coupled modes in the tropics and in the North Atlantic Subpolar gyre. The tropical Atlantic is an area that appears quite sensitive to the use of ocean observations, where results indicate that there is room for further improvements in data assimilation methods.

(Magdalena A. Balmaseda, Hao Zuo, Eric de Boisseson, Kristian Mogensen)