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NBM v5 is now operational on GribStream

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nbm nbmak nbmhi nbmpr nbmgu nbmoc nbmqmd nbmpar nbmparak nbmparhi nbmparpr nbmpargu nbmparoc nbmparqmd

NBM v5 is now flowing through the operational GribStream NBM dataset codes, with previous-version history preserved before the May 5 UTC cutover and NBM parallel datasets deprecated for NBM v5 production use.

NBM v5 is now available through GribStream's operational National Blend of Models dataset codes.

For production workflows, use the operational NBM family:

The operational datasets are the permanent GribStream archive path. The earlier NBM parallel datasets remain useful for comparison while NOAA keeps the parallel bucket available, but they are now deprecated for NBM v5 production use.

Version breakpoints

GribStream preserves the older operational NBM history before the cutover and serves NBM v5 from the operational cycles listed below.

For CONUS:

  • runs before 2026-05-05 06:00 UTC remain the previous operational NBM version
  • runs from 2026-05-05 06:00 UTC onward use NBM v5

For the regional core grids:

  • nbmak, nbmhi, nbmpr, nbmgu, and nbmoc runs before 2026-05-05 12:00 UTC remain the previous operational NBM version
  • runs from 2026-05-05 12:00 UTC onward use NBM v5

That means long backtests can keep using one operational dataset code while still treating the May 5, 2026 UTC breakpoints as model-version boundaries.

Longer hourly guidance

The most visible API change is the longer hourly window in NBM v5.

For the main NBM cycles, most hourly guidance now continues through forecast hour 48 instead of ending around hour 36. For /timeseries users, that means an extra half-day of hourly resolution before results continue into the longer forecast intervals published farther out in the run.

Parallel dataset deprecation

These NBM parallel dataset codes are deprecated for NBM v5 production use:

  • nbmpar
  • nbmparak
  • nbmparhi
  • nbmparpr
  • nbmpargu
  • nbmparoc
  • nbmparqmd

They still describe the public parallel feed and may remain available as a rolling comparison source while the upstream bucket continues to publish data. For production applications, use the operational dataset codes above.

Going forward, we expect the nbmpar* codes to be used for future experimental NBM iterations when NOAA starts publishing them through the parallel feed. We will document those future iterations as comparison or preview datasets, not as the permanent operational archive path.

Related reading

Sources

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