Nordic cooperation is expanding

The collaboration between MET and SMHI, MetCoOp, started with a project in 2011 with the goal to run an operational model together,see the final project report. Since 2014, the departments have benefited from forecasts from the same weather model. In 2017 and 2018 FMI and ESTEA, respectively, also joined MetCoOp.

Many countries have followed the cooperation with interest since. In 2024, LEGMC joined MetCoOp, while the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service (LHMS) is expected to join in the near future. Also from 2022, UWC-West (KNMI, DMI, Met Éireann and Veðurstofa Islands) started a joint operational production.

The effect is that the numerical meteorological institutes (NMSs) can jointly do what they would not get on either side: Ensure a weather-ready Nordic society, strengthen the high impact weather warnings, enhancing safety and securing life and properties for their citizens.

Computer demanding

The ten northern countries behind the project United Weather Centres (UWC) have one primary goal: to create a common weather forecasting model, to provide the best short-range weather forecasts possible.
Weather prediction requires huge amounts of expensive computing power, weather observations and research. New technologies are changing the context and opportunities for weather services. Global companies with enough money to invest in High Performance Computers (HPCs) and artificial intelligence research, are able to challenge the established NMSs. Instead of working separately, the ten northern countries have agreed to join their forces.

Weather forecast system MEPS

The MetCoOp member institutions use and develop two shared weather models to forecast the weather and issue warnings for their respective countries. The MetCoOp Ensemble Prediction System (MEPS) produces ensemble forecasts. This means that a multitude of forecasts is generated, rather than a single forecast. Such a compilation of forecasts makes it possible to not only forecast the weather, but also its probability. The MetCoOp-Nowcasting (MNWC) system produces forecasts with high temporal resolution although with a shorter forecast length. MetCoOp is running preoperational versions of both models to test and validate developments in addition to the two models mentioned above.