Climate Forecast System (Radiative Fluxes CFS)

Description

The Climate Forecast System (CFS), developed by NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), is a state-of-the-art global weather and climate model designed for medium- to long-range forecasting—spanning from days up to several seasons. CFS integrates atmospheric, oceanic, land surface, and sea ice components into a fully coupled modeling framework, delivering highly detailed and reliable forecasts for climate trends, seasonal outlooks, and extended-range weather events. By assimilating real-time observations from satellites, ocean buoys, and weather stations worldwide, CFS ensures its predictions reflect the current state of the Earth system, making it an essential tool for researchers, meteorologists, and organizations that rely on accurate climate guidance.

The CFS Radiative Fluxes product provides forecasts of key energy flows within the Earth’s climate system, including shortwave and longwave radiation at the surface and top of atmosphere. These variables are essential for studying energy budgets, surface heating, and the impacts of clouds and aerosols on climate. Accurate radiative flux data helps researchers and energy analysts understand the drivers behind temperature changes, solar power generation potential, and climate variability on both regional and global scales.

Detail

• Product page: https://cfs.ncep.noaa.gov/cfsv2/docs.html
• Key Features:
  • Captures longwave and shortwave radiation fluxes essential for climate and energy balance studies.
  • Includes surface-related variables such as albedo, soil moisture, and vegetation cover.
  • Supports land surface modeling, hydrology, and global climate research.
• Resolution: 1.0° global grid.
• Temporal Coverage: Updated four times daily, with forecasts extending up to 215 days (5160 hours).
• Primary Use Cases: Climate modeling, land surface interactions, radiation and energy flux studies.

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