The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) has announced it will transition to a fully open data model in 2025, granting public access to its extensive troves of weather prediction data.
The move marks a significant shift for ECMWF, which has traditionally maintained a subscription-based system for much of its data. Under the new policy, all forecast data, historical records, and related meteorological datasets will be freely accessible. The change aligns ECMWF with the principles of open data and follows a growing trend among global meteorological institutions to enhance transparency and accessibility.
“This is a transformative moment for meteorology and climate science,” said ECMWF Director-General Florence Rabier. “By making our data fully open, we empower researchers, businesses, and the public with vital information that can improve weather forecasting, climate resilience, and decision-making across multiple sectors.”
ECMWF is renowned for producing some of the world’s most accurate weather forecasts, supporting disaster response efforts, aviation, agriculture, and climate research. The organization’s data is widely utilized by meteorologists and policymakers globally.
The open data initiative is expected to benefit innovation in artificial intelligence and machine learning, as researchers will have unrestricted access to one of the most comprehensive meteorological datasets available. The change will also aid governments and humanitarian organizations in making timely, data-driven decisions during extreme weather events.
ECMWF will implement the new policy in phases throughout 2025, ensuring a seamless transition for current users. More details on the rollout plan and specific datasets to be released will be provided in the coming months.
The announcement underscores a broader movement toward open science, reinforcing ECMWF’s role as a leader in global weather and climate forecasting.
For more information, visit www.ecmwf.int.