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Note that ecCodes version 2.42.0 comes with a significant reworking of the concepts and lookup related to the paramIds/shortNames/names as well as the keys in the MARS namespace in preparation for the migration to GRIB2. This mechanism is predominantly handled by the WMO tables version, with In particular, ecCodes version 2.42.0 should be used with care and not introduced into any operational processing chain unless it has been fully tested beforehand to ensure that none of the changes impact your production. |
For users with access to the ECMWF Atos HPC, ecCodes 2.42.0 is also installed as part of the 2025.06.0.0 version of the ecmwf-toolbox. This can be accessed on the Atos using:
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$ module load ecmwf-toolbox/2025.06.0.0
$ grib_ls -V
ecCodes Version 2.42.0 |
The static sample dataset can be decoded by versions of ecCodes older than 2.42.0 but some keys, in particular the shortName and paramId, may not be set correctly. However, it is possible use the grib_dump tool to inspect the GRIB headers and here the keys are set to the correct values as far as we are aware.
In general, the static sample dataset is not suitable for initialising an NWP model. Although encoding examples of all parameters at all forecast steps are availableprovided, for those parameters on constant pressure levels, for example, only the 1hPa level is provided. However, users that use initial and lateral boundary conditions (LBCs) from ECMWF data to initialise and update their NWP models from ECMWF data should note the change in the way the parameters on soil levels are provided as this may require changes to your code. Instead of having four separate parameters at each soil layer (level), in GRIB2 there will be one parameter available at each of the four layers (levels)- see Soil temperature, volumetric soil moisture and sea-ice temperature, below, for details.
Other sources of ECMWF GRIB2 data that can be used for testing
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The encoding of the ecCodes paramId, shortName, name and units have changed for some surface parameters from the analysis and forecast. Users may need to adapt their workflows in order to process these parameters successfully. The main changes affecting parameters provided in the static sample dataset are summarised below. For a list of all changes to parameter encoding, see
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In GRIB1, soil temperature, volumetric soil moisture and sea-ice temperature have different paramIds for each of the 4 soil layers. In GRIB2, only a single paramId is used with the layer indicated by the level key.
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To retrieve these parameters in GRIB2 from MARS, users will need to use the new paramId and also specify the statistical processing time window using a new MARS keyword - timespan - that is to be introduced.
Maximum 10m wind gust
Key values that are different are highlighted in bold.
| Old paramId | Old shortName | Old name | New ParamId | New shortName | name | units | timespan | stepType |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49 | 10fg | Maximum 10 metre wind gust since previous post-processing | 237318 | max_i10fg | Time-maximum 10 metre wind gust | m s**-1 | 1h/3h/6h | max |
| 228028 | 10fg3 | Maximum 10 metre wind gust in the last 3 hours | 237318 | max_i10fg | Time-maximum 10 metre wind gust | m s**-1 | 3h | max |
| 123 | 10fg6 | Maximum 10 metre wind gust in the last 6 hours | 237318 | max_i10fg | Time-maximum 10 metre wind gust | m s**-1 | 6h | max |
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Maximum and minimum 2m temperature
Key values that are different are highlighted in bold.
| Old paramId | Old shortName | Old name | New ParamId | New shortName | name | units | timespan | stepType |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 201 | mx2t | Maximum temperature at 2 metres since previous post-processing | 237167 | max_2t | Time-maximum 2 metre temperature | K | 1h/3h/6h | max |
| 202 | mn2t | Minimum temperature at 2 metres since previous post-processing | 238167 | min_2t | Time-minimum 2 metre temperature | K | 1h/3h/6h | min |
| 228026 | mx2t3 | Maximum temperature at 2 metres in the last 3 hours | 237167 | max_2t | Time-maximum 2 metre temperature | K | 3h | max |
| 228027 | mn2t3 | Minimum temperature at 2 metres in the last 3 hours | 238167 | min_2t | Time-minimum 2 metre temperature | K | 3h | min |
| 121 | mx2t6 | Maximum temperature at 2 metres in the last 6 hours | 237167 | max_2t | Time-maximum 2 metre temperature | K | 6h | max |
| 122 | mn2t6 | Minimum temperature at 2 metres in the last 6 hours | 238167 | min_2t | Time-minimum 2 metre temperature | K | 6h | min |
Maximum and minimum total precipitation rate
Key values that are different are highlighted in bold.
| Old paramId | Old shortName | Old name | Old units | New paramId | New shortName | New name | New units | timespan | stepType |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 228226 | mxtpr | Maximum total precipitation rate since previous post-processing | kg m**-2 s**-1 | 237055 | max_tprate | Time-maximum total precipitation rate | kg m**-2 s**-1 | 1h/3h/6h | max |
| 228227 | mntpr | Minimum total precipitation rate since previous post-processing | kg m**-2 s**-1 | 238055 | min_tprate | Time-minimum total precipitation rate | kg m**-2 s**-1 | 1h/3h/6h | min |
| 228222 | mxtpr3 | Maximum total precipitation rate in the last 3 hours | kg m**-2 s**-1 | 237055 | max_tprate | Time-maximum total precipitation rate | kg m**-2 s**-1 | 3h | max |
| 228223 | mntpr3 | Minimum total precipitation rate in the last 3 hours | kg m**-2 s**-1 | 238055 | min_tprate | Time-minimum total precipitation rate | kg m**-2 s**-1 | 3h | min |
| 228224 | mxtpr6 | Maximum total precipitation rate in the last 6 hours | kg m**-2 s**-1 | 237055 | max_tprate | Time-maximum total precipitation rate | kg m**-2 s**-1 | 6h | max |
| 228225 | mntpr6 | Minimum total precipitation rate in the last 6 hours | kg m**-2 s**-1 | 238055 | min_tprate | Time-minimum total precipitation rate | kg m**-2 s**-1 | 6h | min |
Maximum CAPE and CAPE Shear
Key values that are different are highlighted in bold.
| Old paramId | Old shortName | Old name | Old units | New paramId | New shortName | New name | New units | timespan | stepType |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 228035 | mxcape6 | Maximum CAPE in the last 6 hours | J kg**-1 | 237287 | max_cape | Time-maximum convective available potential energy | J kg**-1 | 6h | max |
| 228036 | mxcapes6 | Maximum CAPES in the last 6 hours | m**2 s**-2 | 237321 | max_capes | Time-maximum convective available potential energy shear | m**2 s**-2 | 6h | max |
Mean total lightning flash density
Key values that are different are highlighted in bold.
| Old paramId | Old shortName | Old name | Old units | New paramId | New shortName | New name | units | timespan | stepType |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 228051 | litota1 | Averaged total lightning flash density in the last hour | km**-2 day**-1 | 235326 | avg_litoti | Time-mean total lightning flash density | km**-2 day**-1 | 1h/3h/6h | avg |
| 228057 | litota3 | Averaged total lightning flash density in the last 3 hours | km**-2 day**-1 | 235326 | avg_litoti | Time-mean total lightning flash density | km**-2 day**-1 | 3h | avg |
| 228058 | litota6 | Averaged total lightning flash density in the last 6 hours | km**-2 day**-1 | 235326 | avg_litoti | Time-mean total lightning flash density | km**-2 day**-1 | 6h | avg |
Most severe and most frequent precipitation type
Key values that are different are highlighted in bold.
| Old paramId | Old shortName | Old name | New paramId | New shortName | New name | timespan | stepType |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 260318 | ptype_sev1h | Precipitation type (most severe) in the last 1 hours | 260682 | sev_ptype | Time-severity precipitation type | 1h | severity |
| 260319 | ptype_sev3h | Precipitation type (most severe) in the last 3 hours | 260682 | sev_ptype | Time-severity precipitation type | 3h | severity |
| 260338 | ptype_sev6h | Precipitation type (most severe) in the last 6 hours | 260682 | sev_ptype | Time-severity precipitation type | 6h | severity |
| 260320 | ptype_freq1h | Precipitation type (most frequent) in the last 1 hours | 260683 | freq_ptype | Time-mode precipitation type | 1h | mode |
| 260321 | ptype_freq3h | Precipitation type (most frequent) in the last 3 hours | 260683 | freq_ptype | Time-mode precipitation type | 3h | mode |
| 260339 | ptype_freq6h | Precipitation type (most frequent) in the last 6 hours | 260683 | freq_ptype | Time-mode precipitation type | 6h | mode |
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- the unit of Sea surface practical salinity and Average sea water practical salinity in the upper 300 m has changed from psu to g/kg;
- the unit of the Average sea water potential temperature in the upper 300m has changed from degrees Celsius to Kelvin.
Key values that are different are highlighted in bold.
| Old paramId | Old shortName | Old name | Old units | New paramId | New shortName | New name | New units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 151130 | so | Sea water practical salinity | psu | 262100 | sos | Sea surface practical salinity | g kg**-1 |
| 151131 | ocu | Eastward surface sea water velocity | m s**-1 | 262140 | sve | Eastward surface sea water velocity | m s**-1 |
| 151132 | ocv | Northward surface sea water velocity | m s**-1 | 262139 | svn | Northward surface sea water velocity | m s**-1 |
| 151145 | zos | Sea surface height | m | 262124 | zos | Sea surface height | m |
| 151148 | mld | Mixed layer depth | m | 3067 | mld | Mixed layer depth | m |
| 151163 | t20d | Depth of 20C isotherm | m | 262104 | t20d | Depth of 20 C isotherm | m |
| 151164 | tav300 | Average potential temperature in the upper 300m | degrees C | 262144 | pt300m | Average sea water potential temperature in the upper 300m | K |
| 151175 | sav300 | Average sea water practical salinity in the upper 300m | psu | 262118 | sc300m | Average sea water practical salinity in the upper 300 m | g kg**-1 |
| 174098 | sithick | Sea-ice thickness | m | 262000 | sithick | Sea ice thickness | m |
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