AI天气模型提升至每小时1次预报,精度媲美物理模型。
WeatherNext 3: Increasing resolution and performance of global weather models with raw observations

- 直接用卫星和站点观测数据,跳过传统分析环节。
- 每小时更新,0.1度分辨率,可预测任意地点温湿和云量。
- 适合需要高精度、高频次预报的气象业务与科研场景。
顶尖的AI天气模型虽具备出色的中短期预报能力和计算效率,但存在两大缺陷:预报空间和时间分辨率低于最优物理模型,且仅依赖分析数据进行初始化与训练。这导致无法直接利用原始观测数据,且分析偏差会传递至预报结果。WeatherNext 3克服了这些局限,建立了概率性中短期预报的新基准。首先,通过接入低延迟静止卫星数据,实现每小时一次的新预报(而非传统模型的每6小时一次)。其次,其时空分辨率与物理模型相当,单层变量(如太阳辐射、云覆盖)达到0.1度空间分辨率和每小时时间步长。第三,模型不再局限于传统分析变量,而是学习预测卫星反演的降水估计、热带气旋及地面站点观测。对稀疏站点数据建模后,可在任意时间和地点预测2米气温与露点温度,误差显著低于现有全球模型,即使在未见站点上评估亦然。整体上,WeatherNext 3将基于AI的天气预报从传统数据同化、预报、后处理三阶段中解放出来,进一步推动全球天气预测在性能与粒度上的边界。
原文摘要 · Abstract (English)
State-of-the-art AI weather models have shown impressive medium-range forecast skill and computational efficiency, but suffer two key shortcomings: their forecasts have lower spatial and temporal resolution than the best physics-based models and they are exclusively initialized with and trained on analysis data. As a result, they cannot directly make use of observations, and any biases in the analysis are inherited by the forecast. WeatherNext 3 addresses these shortcomings and establishes a new state-of-the-art for probabilistic medium-range forecasting skill. First, WeatherNext 3 generates new forecasts every hour (rather than every 6 hours like traditional global models) by ingesting low-latency geostationary satellite data. Second, WeatherNext 3's temporal and spatial resolution are on par with physics-based global models, with hourly time steps and 0.1 degree resolution for single-level variables, including solar radiation and cloud cover. Third, WeatherNext 3 moves beyond traditional analysis variables by learning to predict satellite-derived precipitation estimates, as well as tropical cyclone and station observations. Modelling sparse station data allows WeatherNext 3 to make 2m temperature and dewpoint predictions at any location and time, conditioned on local geographical features, with substantially lower error than competing global models, even when evaluated against unseen stations. Together, WeatherNext 3's capabilities move operational AI-based weather forecasting beyond emulating the traditionally distinct stages of data assimilation, forecasting and post-processing, which helps to further push the frontier of performance and granularity for global weather prediction.
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