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Cited by 689

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 48 of the 48 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

The ERA5 global reanalysis: Preliminary extension to 1950

Open access
Bell, Bill, Hersbach, Hans, Simmons, Adrian, Berrisford, Paul, Dahlgren, Per, Horányi, András, Muñoz‐Sabater, Joaquín, Nicolas, Julien, Radu, Raluca, Schepers, Dinand, Soci, Cornel, Villaume, Sebastien, Bidlot, Jean‐Raymond, Haimberger, Leo, Woollen, Jack, Buontempo, Carlo, Thépaut, Jean‐Noël·2021·Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society
DOI 10.1002/qj.4174
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Abstract

The extension of the ERA5 reanalysis back to 1950 supplements the previously published segment covering 1979 to the present. It features the assimilation of additional conventional observations, as well as improved use of early satellite data. The number of observations assimilated increases from 53,000 per day in early 1950 to 570,000 per day by the end of 1978. Accordingly, the quality of the reanalysis improves throughout the period, generally joining seamlessly with the segment covering 1979 to the present. The fidelity of the extension is illustrated by the accurate depiction of the North Sea storm of 1953, and the events leading to the first discovery of sudden stratospheric warmings in 1952. Time series of ERA5 global surface temperature anomalies show temperatures to be relatively stable from 1950 until the late 1970s, in agreement with the other contemporary full‐input reanalysis covering this period and with independent data sets, although there are significant differences in the accuracy of representing specific regions, Europe being well represented in the early period but Australia less so. The variability of ERA5 precipitation from month to month agrees well with observations for all continents, with correlations above 90% for most of Europe and generally in excess of 70% for North America, Asia and Australia. The evolution of upper air temperatures, humidities and winds shows smoothly varying behaviour, including tropospheric warming and stratospheric cooling, modulated by volcanic eruptions. The Quasi‐Biennial Oscillation is well represented throughout. Aspects to be improved upon in future reanalyses include the assimilation of tropical cyclone data, the spin‐up of soil moisture and stratospheric humidity, and the representation of surface temperatures over Australia.

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Citations

Cites

Show all 48 references

Research works printed but not linked: 19

  1. Anstey J.A., 2020, Quasi‐biennial oscillation disrupted by abnormal southern hemisphere stratosphere, Earth and Space Science Open Archive, 16
  2. 10.1175/2008JCLI2539.1 · doi:10.1175/2008jcli2539.1
  3. 10.1002/qj.3870 · doi:10.1002/qj.3870
  4. Hersbach H., 2015, The Observation Feedback Archive for the ICOADS and ISPD Data Sets, 29
  5. Hirahara S., 2016, Sea Surface Temperature and Sea Ice Concentration for ERA5, 25
  6. Hólm E., 2002, Assimilation and Modelling of the Hydrological Cycle: ECMWF's Status and Plans
  7. Johnson J.E., 2012, Document for the Creating a Long Term Multi‐Sensor Ozone Data Record Project
  8. Kosaka Y., 2018, Assimilation of tropical cyclone best track reports in CERA‐20C
  9. Krzeminski B., 2009, Revision of the HIRS Cloud Detection at ECMWF
  10. Li X., 2005, ECMWF ERA‐40 Project Report Series No. 21: The use of VTPR raw radiances in ERA‐40
  11. Lupu C., 2015, Operational Implementation of RTTOV‐11 in the IFS
  12. McMillin L.M., 1973, Satellite Infrared Soundings from NOAA Spacecraft
  13. MetOffice, 1954, The Monthly Weather Report for the Year 1953
  14. 10.1002/wea.2044 · doi:10.1002/wea.2044
  15. Scherhag R., 1952, Die explosionsartige Stratosphärenerwärmung des Spätwinters 1951‐1952, Berichte des Deutschen Wetterdienstes, 6, 51
  16. Simmons A., 2021, Low Frequency Variability and Trends in Surface Air Temperature and Humidity from ERA5 and Other Datasets
  17. Simmons A., 2020, Global Stratospheric Temperature Bias and Other Stratospheric Aspects of ERA5 and ERA5.1
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Metadata

Authors
Bell, B., Hersbach, H., Simmons, A., Berrisford, P., Dahlgren, P., Horányi, A., Muñoz‐Sabater, J., Nicolas, J., Radu, R., Schepers, D., Soci, C., Villaume, S., Bidlot, J., Haimberger, L., Woollen, J., Buontempo, C., & Thépaut, J.
Venue
Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2021-10
Volume
147
Issue
741
Pages
4186-4227
ISSN
  • 0035-9009 (ISSN-L)
  • 1477-870X
DOI
10.1002/qj.4174
OpenAlex
W3204829776
Cited by
689
References
48
FWCI
33.12
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
hybrid
Licence
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ (vor, 39 d)

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: The ERA5 global reanalysis: Preliminary extension to 1950. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1002/qj.4174
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Bell, B., Hersbach, H., Simmons, A., Berrisford, P., Dahlgren, P., Horányi, A., Muñoz‐Sabater, J., Nicolas, J., Radu, R., Schepers, D., Soci, C., Villaume, S., Bidlot, J., Haimberger, L., Woollen, J., Buontempo, C., & Thépaut, J. (2021). The ERA5 global reanalysis: Preliminary extension to 1950. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society. https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.4174

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