Welcome to HIRLAM!
About the HiRLAM programme
- Details
- Parent Category: About HIRLAM
- Published on Tuesday, 04 October 2016 00:00
- Written by Frank Lantsheer
Operational short-range Limited Area Models (LAM) in Europe are mostly being developed by consortia of collaborating National Meteorological Services (NMS’s). HIRLAM (High Resolution Limited Area Model) was the first of these consortia on limited area modelling in Europe, established in 1985 in the Nordic countries and later extended with other members. he HIRLAM collaboration has originally been organized in Projects and there have been 6 of these (from HIRLAM-1 to HIRLAM-6). The members then decided to continue the collaboration in the form of five year programmes, HIRLAM-A (2006-2010), HIRLAM-B (2010-2015) and (now running) HIRLAM-C (2016-2020).
HIRLAM's long-term goal
HIRLAM’s prime long-term goal is to provide its members with a state-of-the-art operational short and very short range numerical weather prediction system, and the expertise associated with it. The main application for the NWP system is the production of operational weather forecasts for the member services, with particular emphasis on the detection and forecasting of severe weather and services related to public safety.
HIRLAM and ALADIN
In 2005, the strategic decision was made for HIRLAM to engage in a close code cooperation with the ALADIN consortium. The aim of this research collaboration is to develop and maintain a common, state-of-the-art mesoscale LAM model code for short-range numerical weather prediction, within the code framework of the ECMWF/Arpege Integrated Forecasting System (IFS). This common mesoscale analysis and forecasting system, which within HIRLAM is called HARMONIE, is intended to eventually replace the HIRLAM model in all of its applications.
The terms of the HIRLAM-ALADIN collaboration have been formalized in the Collaboration Agreement between the ALADIN and HIRLAM consortia adopted in December 2016. The two consortia have agreed to work together with the aim of forming a single consortium at the latest by the end of 2020.
HIRLAM-C programme
The HIRLAM-ALADIN collaboration will be continued in the HIRLAM-C programme.
The primary purpose of the HIRLAM-C programme is to carry out research and development together with ALADIN partners in order to provide the members with a comprehensive mesoscale NWP system as the best suitable means of support for their operational short-range weather forecasting activities. Most of this work is carried out in close coordination with the ALADIN programme under well-aligned scientific work plans.
Further programme description and details in the HIRLAM-C MoU 2016-2020.
The HIRLAM consortium members
The HIRLAM consortium consists of the institutes listed in the table below.
| The Danish Meteorological Institute | DMI | Denmark |
| The Estonian Environmental Agency | ESTEA | Estonia |
| The Finnish Meteorological Institute | FMI | Finland |
| The Icelandic Meteorological Office | IMO | Iceland |
| The Irish Meteorological Service | Met Eireann | Ireland |
| The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute | KNMI | Netherlands |
| The Norwegian Meteorological Institute | MET Norway | Norway |
| The Meteorological State Agency of the Kingdom of Spain | AEMET | Spain |
| The Swedish meteorological and Hydrological Institute | SMHI | Sweden |
| The Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service | LHMS | Lituania |
|
The French Meteorological Service is associate member |
Météo-France |
France |
For ALADIN consortium information: see ALADIN website.
Steering bodies
The HIRLAM programme is controlled by the HIRLAM council, which consists of the directors of the participating institutes.
The programme is managed by the management group.
The management group is advised by a Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee, the HAC.
All steering documents can be found at HIRLAM steering documents.
