Non-UK users of ECMWF data

A response to queries from researchers outside the UK interested in using ECMWF data.

This page has been produced in response to a number of queries from scientists outside the UK who wish to obtain ECMWF data from the BADC. Unfortunately, the BADC's agreement with the ECMWF expressly forbids us from supplying ECMWF data to non-UK users.

To clarify the situations, there are 3 different ways for european scientists to get ECMWF data:

  1. Through their own National Meteorological Service.
  2. Applying for time on the ECMWF computers to extract it themselves.
  3. Buying it from ECMWF.

The BADC only holds ECMWF data, because the UK Met Office has delegated its responsibility for the first method to the BADC, so we are only allowed to distribute to users who would otherwise get their data from the UK Met Office.