High performance computing brings clarity to an otherwise cloudy problem – extended weather forecasts.
The U.S. Navy Earth System Prediction Capability (ESPC) combines atmosphere, ocean, and sea ice data to create weather forecasts up to 45 days in advance.
HPCMP supported ESPC through the Frontier Project program by providing millions of core-hours to build the model.
After going live in 2020, ESPC has helped fill a significant forecasting gap for the Navy. Conventional weather outlooks are only reliable up to about 2 weeks, and predictions based on climate data can miss year-to-year variability. By combining short and long-term data, ESPC provides a stronger ability to predict conditions 1-2 months in advance. This will allow the Navy to anticipate sea ice thickness, tropical storms, and whatever else the weather may bring.