Evaluation of the FV3-powered Next Generation Unified Prediction System System for Medium-Range Weather Prediction

We present the results from an intense R2O effort, implementing the Finite-Volume Dynamical Core on the Cubed-Sphere (FV3), for medium-range weather predictions. In addition to the implementation of the FV3 itself into the operational NCEP’s Global Forecast System (GFS), we also developed and implemented a modern and computationally efficient 6-category cloud microphysics that has been tuned for both short-term (0-5 days) cloud-permitting predictions and for long-term (S2S, seasonal to subseasonal) predictions at a much coarser horizontal resolution (25-50 km). The competitiveness and operational readiness of the FV3-powered next generation unified prediction system prediction will be demonstrated via direct skill comparisons, for a full year period, with the operational GFS and the operational ECMWF IFS, using initial condition from both the GFS and IFS.